DeSantis Campaign Raises $20 Million in Race to Beat Trump

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida raised $20 million within the first six weeks of his presidential run, his marketing campaign stated Thursday, a considerable sum that solidifies his place because the main rival to former President Donald J. Trump.

Whereas the quantity falls wanting the $35 million that Mr. Trump’s marketing campaign stated the previous president raised within the three months ending June 30, Mr. DeSantis had solely half the time to herald marketing campaign funds after formally getting into the race in mid-Might.

Along with the $20 million the DeSantis marketing campaign stated it had raised, an excellent PAC backing Mr. DeSantis, By no means Again Down, stated Thursday that it had collected $130 million since March. However practically two-thirds of that sum was transferred to the group from a state committee that had supported Mr. DeSantis’s re-election bid final yr.

The totals equipped by the campaigns — extra detailed numbers don’t need to be filed with the Federal Election Fee till July 15 — present the primary glimpse into the fund-raising battle between the main candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, a race that might set information for spending.

The $20 million raised by Mr. DeSantis contains $8.2 million that his marketing campaign stated it had taken in on its first full day of fund-raising in late Might, suggesting that the tempo of its fund-raising tapered off considerably thereafter.

Excluding the switch from Mr. DeSantis’s state committee, the most recent numbers additionally present that By no means Again Down raised extra money in its first three weeks than it did over roughly the final three months.

The fund-raising slowdown comes after a bumpy marketing campaign rollout that has caused questions from donors and supporters about its path.

However Kristin Davison, chief working officer of By no means Again Down, stated that the cash raised “exhibits an unparalleled, unprecedented and massively profitable fund-raising operation no different candidate on this race has.”

Mr. Trump has raised most of his marketing campaign’s money via his management PAC, Save America. In current months, The New York Occasions reported, Mr. Trump has diverted a higher portion of donations he receives to the PAC, which he has used to pay his private authorized charges.

Mr. Trump’s marketing campaign stated on Wednesday that it had raised a complete of $35 million between April and June — practically double what the committee had raised within the first quarter of the yr, reflecting hefty fund-raising bumps within the wake of his two indictments, in New York Metropolis and Florida.

Shane Goldmacher contributed reporting.