Ron DeSantis’ group is urging Florida lobbyists to not again Rep. Byron Donalds for governor
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political operation is making calls to state lobbyists, urging them to not help Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., whose 2026 bid for governor has already socked away greater than $3 million — a lot of which has come from President Donald Trump’s donors.
The calls, in accordance with seven folks accustomed to the hassle who requested anonymity to talk freely, are makes an attempt to curb any potential contributions from principally Tallahassee-based lobbyists to Donalds’ marketing campaign.
The southwest Florida congressman introduced his Trump-backed bid for governor final month, however there stays the prospect that DeSantis’ spouse, Casey, additionally jumps within the race, which might arrange a heavyweight GOP major and proceed the long-running political proxy conflict between Trump and DeSantis.
“They’re changing into much more aggressive as this factor progresses,” a veteran Republican lobbyist who acquired one of many calls stated. “There are not any threats or something direct like that, however come on. Whenever you get a name from the governor, or anybody round them, on this form of context, it’s a message-sender.”
The calls come as Florida is three weeks into its state legislative session, a time when the identical lobbyists DeSantis is urging to not help Donalds want the governor to signal payments into regulation for his or her purchasers.
“There’s a rigidity amongst many as they attempt to toe the road — signaling they’re with Donalds, as many will, with out incurring DeSantis’ wrath,” one other longtime Republican Florida lobbyist stated.
“A time period we maintain listening to is ‘maintain your powder dry,” the particular person stated of how the request to not donate to Donalds is being framed.
Each DeSantis and Taryn Fenske, considered one of his prime political staffers, have made among the calls, in accordance with one of many sources acquainted. Fenske didn’t return a request in search of remark.
Casey DeSantis has not but stated if she plans to formally run for governor in 2026, however her husband has more and more hyped her as a key a part of his administration’s success, and he or she has carried out nothing to publicly swat down the thought of a marketing campaign when requested about it by reporters.
“Whenever you come to a fork within the highway, take it,” she stated final month, borrowing a cryptic flip of phrase from baseball legend Yogi Berra.
NBC Information reported final month that Casey was significantly contemplating a run to switch her husband. A spokeswoman for DeSantis’ political operation didn’t return a request in search of remark.
DeSantis prior to now has relied on a stress marketing campaign of Tallahassee lobbyists to assist fund his political ambitions. Through the 2024 presidential contest, his former chief of workers James Uthmeier _ who’s now the state’s lawyer basic — organized authorities staffers to solicit contributions for DeSantis’ marketing campaign from lobbyists, a extremely uncommon association.
This time, there are not any taxpayer-funded workers concerned within the efforts.
Although supporters of either side of the potential GOP major have aggressively attacked the opposite candidate on social media, exterior of some early rigidity, neither aspect has actually addressed the opposite. When requested, Donalds has praised the job DeSantis has carried out as governor.
Donalds has rapidly amassed a $3.1 million state-level conflict chest, bolstered by $1.2 million in transfers from his federal congressional account and a few notable donors from Trump’s fundraising community, in accordance with public information. Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein has contributed $1 million; Clive Fields, a Texas-based well being care govt who was a DeSantis donor within the 2024 presidential major earlier than supporting Trump, donated $500,000; and Deborah Magowan, the widow of former San Francisco Giants proprietor Peter Magowan, kicked in $150,000.
As well as, Donalds continues to have a separate federal tremendous PAC referred to as Sunshine State Future Fund, which has been comparatively dormant, in accordance with marketing campaign finance information, but it surely has not needed to disclose any contributions but this yr.
Florida election regulation typically permits federal tremendous PACs to switch cash to profit state candidate-aligned political committees, that means it could possibly supply a extra covert method for donors to provide to Donalds with out the contribution instantly changing into public. The following quarterly tremendous PAC submitting deadline is just not till April 15.
In the meantime, a state-level political committee related to DeSantis’ political operation has $2.1 million money readily available, in accordance with state marketing campaign finance information.
Donalds and DeSantis have been as soon as shut political allies, however they’d a falling-out when Donalds endorsed Trump within the 2024 Republican presidential major.
DeSantis has to this point publicly framed his spouse’s potential bid to switch him as a approach to keep and construct on their household legacy within the state’s governor mansion.
“She’s any individual that has, I believe, the intestinal fortitude and the dedication to conservative ideas,” DeSantis informed reporters final month of his spouse. “Something we’ve completed, she’d be capable of take to the following stage.”
