Ron DeSantis says 'it’s a big mistake' that Donald Trump is skipping the GOP presidential nomination debates
Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticizes former President Donald Trump for skipping the GOP nomination debates, arguing that 'he’s sending the signals that... the voters don’t matter.'
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis brought in $15 million in fundraising over the past three months for his Republican presidential campaign.
The DeSantis campaign also confirmed to Fox News that it is moving staff from Florida to Iowa, where the Jan. 15 caucuses lead off the GOP presidential nominating calendar.
The campaign touted that their haul "shatters expectations" as they announced their July-September third quarter of 2023 fundraising on Wednesday.
DeSantis has been trying to change the narrative after a series of setbacks over the summer, which triggered weeks of negative stories spotlighting his campaign’s overspending, staff layoffs, change of leadership and other issues.
LATEST FUNDRAISING REPORTS COULD BE DEATH KNELL FOR SOME GOP PRESIDENTIAL LONG-SHOTS
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at an Iowa Faith and Freedom fall banquet in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 16, 2023. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)
"This significant fundraising haul not only provides us with the resources we need in the fight for Iowa and beyond, but it also shuts down the doubters who counted out Ron DeSantis for far too long," campaign manager James Uthmeier said in a statement.
About a third of the DeSantis campaign staff, including top political and communications officials, were told on Wednesday that they would be headed short-term to Iowa. DeSantis has spent most of his time on the campaign trail in Iowa the past two months, as he aims for a strong finish in an effort to become the top alternative to former President Donald Trump, the commanding front-runner in the GOP nomination race as he makes his third straight White House run.
The developments were first reported by The New York Times and confirmed by Fox News.
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The DeSantis-aligned super PAC Never Back Down has taken over many of the traditional operations and basic duties handled by a presidential campaign, including grassroots outreach and planning and coordinating events.
DeSantis was once solidly in second place in the race for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, but he has seen his numbers in the surveys erode in recent months as Trump expanded his lead over the Florida governor.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to guests during a "Commit To Caucus" rally at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Maquoketa, Iowa, on Sept. 20, 2023. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
And in recent weeks, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration, has vaulted over DeSantis into second place in some polls in two other crucial early-voting states — New Hampshire and her home state of South Carolina.
But the DeSantis political team says the new fundraising figures — raised between his campaign, leadership PAC and joint fundraising committee — are making the case that things have stabilized.
"Thanks to the generous support of Americans looking for a leader who will deliver results, this campaign is built to last and win," Uthmeier emphasized. "Ron DeSantis is the only candidate in this race who can beat both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, revive our economy, secure the border, make America energy dominant, and end the weaponization of government once and for all."
Pointing to positive reviews DeSantis garnered at last week's second Republican presidential nomination debate, the campaign touted that the "announcement of DeSantis’ narrative-defying third quarter comes as he enters October firmly on offense."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis smiles during the debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on Sept. 27, 2023. (Frederic J. Brown/Getty Images)
It also highlighted that DeSantis has unveiled "three new forward-looking policies" on the economy, faith and energy, and that the governor has "campaigned at break-neck pace."
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The campaign noted that DeSantis will have made stops in 74 of Iowa's 99 counties come Monday.
But the $15 million haul over the past three months is less than the $20 million raised by DeSantis during the second quarter of fundraising. And much of the money brought in during the third quarter is general election funds, meaning it can't be spent during the upcoming Republican presidential primaries.
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