Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) helped boost local Republican fundraising by over $4.3 million during his out-of-state swings so far, according to his political team.
Since March, DeSantis has headlined at least 10 major GOP events in various states across the country as he tests the 2024 waters for a presidential run, a spokesperson confirmed to the Washington Examiner. During his stops at various Republican local and state fundraisers, he has courted local politicos and touted his record in Florida.
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States he traveled through for those Republican Party events include Texas, California, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Iowa, per his team. DeSantis has had holdovers from his 2022 gubernatorial reelection bid stay on and help coordinate his political activity.
The first major party event he headlined was a March 3 appearance at the Harris County GOP Lincoln Reagan Day Dinner in Houston. Most recently, he attended a Marathon County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner in Rothschild, Wisconsin, on Saturday.
Some local Republicans revealed significant fundraising pulls during DeSantis's visits. For instance, during his trip to the New Hampshire GOP 2023 Amos Tuck Dinner, the party hauled in over a record-breaking $382,000, according to the party chairman.
"He has enacted policies in Florida that many people in New Hampshire applaud. And he's been a very successful governor of a large state. And so that could give you an indication of his potential success running the country," Republican Party Chairman Chris Ager said at the time. "People like to hear from him directly without the filter."
Amid his brisk itinerary, DeSantis has worked with the Florida state legislature to pass an ambitious agenda of various reforms on topics such as education, prescription drug prices, immigration, and more.
One of the major reforms the legislature passed was an adjustment to Florida's "resign to run" policy to allow DeSantis to vie for the presidency without having to step down.
With that obstacle out of the way and the Florida legislature's session over, DeSantis is expected to make his 2024 intentions known within the coming weeks. DeSantis has regularly polled as the second favorite hypothetical GOP primary candidate after former President Donald Trump.
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DeSantis has reportedly taken steps to prepare for a campaign launch, such as early debate preparation, and his allies have started to staff up in key states. For instance, Never Back Down, a super PAC aligned with DeSantis, recently announced it had begun hiring staff in Super Tuesday states. The PAC has sought to create a springboard for a potential campaign.
This weekend, DeSantis is poised to head back to Iowa to attend the Peoria and Tazewell County GOP Joint Lincoln Day Dinner in Peoria, Illinois, on Friday. He will also appear at the Feenstra Family Picnic in Sioux Center, Iowa, and the Iowa GOP Fundraiser in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Saturday, per his team.