Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has filed a request to accept public matching funds for his reelection campaign, Politico reports.
According to the news outlet, it is a move that will likely result in the Republican governor getting millions of dollars for his already well-financed campaign.
Without public funding, DeSantis has already raised over $113 million. That number will go up even more on Friday when his May financial report is filed.
Politico noted that some Florida Republicans in the past have blasted public financing as "welfare for politicians."
Most of what the governor has raised so far has come through a separate political committee, which is restricted on how it can spend the money.
The public financing laws mandates that DeSantis must abide by spending limits or face being fined. But Politico noted that only applies to his main reelection account. Right now, that account has raised nearly $10 million — far under the $30 million limit.
In April, CNN reported his already hefty campaign finances not only gives DeSantis a leg up on the Democrats attempting to unseat him in November, it also sends a message to the potential f 2024 GOP presidential hopefuls that there is already a contender with strong support from major donors and grassroots voters.
It's the kind of fundraising strength that "catapults him into the top tier of potential GOP candidates," said Scott Reed, a GOP operative and former top strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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