Ron DeSantis plans Utah fundraiser with GOP megadonors, signaling possible presidential run

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is planning a private fundraiser in Utah later this month that is expected to attract some of the country’s wealthiest political donors as he signals the possibility of running for president. in 2024.

DeSantis is expected to travel to Utah the week of July 18 for a private meeting, according to people familiar with the matter.. Many people asked to remain anonymous because the campaign is trying to keep the private event from getting too much attention from the public.

Although DeSantis traveled to Utah to raise money for his 2022 director of state re-election campaign, fundraisers are held in states as far away as Utah, more than 2,000 miles from his home state, often propose national aspirations.

The state is known for being a stronghold of the Republican Party; Utah voters chose a Republican for president in each of the past six elections. Former President Donald Trump beat Joe Biden in the state by 20 percentage points in 2020.

Carson Jorgensen, the Utah Republican Party chairman, said the state’s party is not co-hosting the event, but is likely to send people to what is expected to include breakfast and lunch with DeSantis. He noted that the event is privately held and closed to the press.

“We just want to see more events done in the state supporting great candidates across the country,” Jorgensen said in a text message. He did not confirm the date of the rally or who will host DeSantis.

DeSantis spokeswoman Lindsey Curnutte would not confirm any details, saying the campaign does not “discuss private fundraising events with members of the press.”

DeSantis hasn’t announced his presidential run, but he hasn’t ruled it out either. In a recent Fox News interview, he’s not dismissing the idea of ​​running for president — even if it means he has to defeat former President Donald first. Trump in the Republican primaries.

“Do your best, buddy” DeSantis obediently replied in an interview with Fox News last month, declined to answer when asked if he would be involved in the main battle with Trump in the run-up to the White House.

A person who helped organize this month’s fundraiser said many donors from around the country have been invited and will attend the gathering in Utah., but they are trying to get former President Donald Trump to ignore. The person said the invitation was sent orally, rather than via email, to limit any paperwork. Donors have been informed that the meeting with DeSantis in Utah is likely to begin as early as July 19.

Another reason DeSantis kept the event private, the person added, was to avoid looking as if he was preparing to take on Trump in the 2024 Republican primaries and incite the anger of the former president. system.

An Emerson University poll conducted last month found Trump to be the clear favorite over any other possible candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination. poll showed him with 55% support from voters if he were to run for the Republican nomination, with DeSantis in second place with 20%.

DeSantis has become a fan favorite of the GOP megadonors, with many of them helped him raise more than 100 million dollars for his 2022 run for re-election in Florida and look for alternatives to being their Republican nominee for president in 2024. Axios report that an outside group is gathering more than 1 million names of DeSantis supporters in the event the Florida governor ends up running for president.

In a recent Newsmax interview, Trump speak he is close to DeSantis and has not ruled out having the Florida governor as his running mate should the former president run for re-election to the White House in 2024. Trump has not ruled out running for president again after his defeat. before Biden two years ago.

While Trump won Utah in 2020, DeSantis has allies in that state and previously went there as governor.

DeSantis spoke in Utah last year before the US Legislative Exchange Council. His comments include mocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for encouraging people vaccinated with Covid-19 to wear masks in states where the coronavirus is spreading.

DeSantis’ re-election campaign raised more than $25,000 from donors in Utah during the 2022 election cycle, according to Florida state records. Friends of Ron DeSantis, the pro-DeSantis political action committee, brought in more than $430,000 from donors in the state.

Nomi Health is one of the DeSantis advocates in Utah. The healthcare company gave away $100,000 to Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC last year after the company reported received nearly $50 million in non-auction Covid-related work from the governor’s administration, according to campaign finance records.

Since then, another $50,000 came from Nomi Health in June.

Nomi’s Health CEO Mark Newman and company did not respond when asked if they would attend or co-host the DeSantis meeting in Utah.