Ron DeSantis Is Running Out of Money

Ron DeSantis' 2024 presidential campaign continues to be met with financial difficulties, with the Florida Governor forced to rely on a relatively small sum for the remainder of the primary season.

DeSantis, who is trailing GOP primary frontrunner Donald Trump in the polls by massive margins, brought in $15 million in the third quarter fundraising period between his campaign committee and leadership PAC.

However, only $5 million of DeSantis's fundraising attempt is available as cash for the remainder of the primary season. In comparison, Trump's campaign raised more than $45.5 million in the third quarter, with around $36 million of the total cash on hand designated purely for the primary.

The $15 million raised by DeSantis' PACs in the third quarter is also down from $20 million in the first six weeks of the Florida governor's presidential run. A number of key fundraising and campaigning efforts have also been taken over by the pro-DeSantis Super PAC Never Back Down, including pumping millions in advertising and hosting events.

Despite this, the Florida governor's 2024 campaign team framed the $15 million third quarter fundraising in a statement headlined as "the Ron DeSantis Comeback Continues."

"Anyone that knows Ron DeSantis knows that he is a fighter, a winner, and a leader," said campaign manager James Uthmeier.

"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."

The difficulties for DeSantis' campaign finances could also be seen in the decision to move around a third of its staff out of Florida to Iowa, with the Republican seemingly banking on a positive result from the first-in-the-nation primary caucus in January to kickstart his floundering White House bid.

"We are redeploying many of our assets so we can further take the fight directly to Donald Trump in Iowa," David Polyansky, DeSantis' deputy campaign manager, told The New York Times.

The move to relocate staff to Iowa arrives after some 38 staff members—around one-third of the team—were let go in July as part of drastic cost-cutting measures just two months after DeSantis launched his presidential campaign.

The alarming figures from the third quarter have reportedly left some donors concerned about how much longer DeSantis can feasible try to topple Trump as the favorite to clinch the GOP presidential nomination next year.

"The cash crunch has accelerated in the past month. It's a huge problem," one unnamed DeSantis donor told NBC News.

"If it continues to trend downwards and Trump continues to poll ahead, at some point they're going to have to figure out if it makes sense to pull out and save face for 2028."

While detailing how DeSantis only has $5 million in cash for the rest of the primary season, Trump's 2024 team suggested the figure is a "grave indication that Ron's candidacy may not live to see the Iowa caucuses in January, or even, the end of this month."

DeSantis' campaign team has been contacted for comment via email.