On Monday, the presidential campaign of former President Donald Trump sent a memo to donors supporting Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign, highlighting the recent challenges faced by the Florida governor in the race. The memo, written by Trump advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, aimed to provide relevant questions for donors to ask as DeSantis sought more funds for his campaign.
The memo stated: As Governor Ron DeSantis hits the road over the next week, seeking more funds for his campaign, they believe it is important to provide you, the donors who generously fund and raise money, with a list of relevant questions considering the current circumstances faced by his campaign. The memo listed several circumstances, including public polls showing DeSantis trailing President Trump significantly and senior campaign officials admitting they are behind and facing an uphill battle.
According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Trump leads DeSantis by 34 points. The memo also referenced a recent NBC News report featuring comments from a DeSantis-aligned operative who expressed doubts about continuing a national operation if there was no improvement in the polls.
Additionally, the memo mentioned an ABC News report indicating that some major donors who initially planned to support DeSantis were exploring other primary candidates due to his struggles in catching up to Trump.
The Trump campaign suggested questions for DeSantis donors, such as inquiring about the roles of the individuals on the campaign payroll and the amount spent on unmotivated door knockers. The memo suggested that donors couldn’t claim they weren’t warned if they still invested millions of dollars in DeSantis’s failing campaign.
DeSantis appeared on Fox News to address the reports about his campaign’s alleged troubles. He dismissed concerns about media coverage, stating that Republican primary voters are aware of the bias of corporate outlets and that their support would ultimately grow as a result. He also highlighted his substantial fundraising numbers for the second quarter, surpassing Trump and President Joe Biden. However, the exact figures from Trump’s campaign have yet to be independently confirmed.
“It’s interesting they’re talking about some of this campaign process,” DeSantis said, pointing out that his fundraising numbers exceeded those of Trump and Biden in the second quarter. DeSantis received $19.7 million in donations in the second quarter, while Trump received $17 million. However, Trump’s campaign claims to have raised over $35 million through a joint fundraising committee, which will be transferred to his campaign and a PAC. These figures have not been verified independently. DeSantis remains confident in his growing support in early primary states.
When asked about his position in the polls, DeSantis focused on state-by-state primaries instead of a national perspective. DeSantis added that he believes Republican Primary voters are intelligent. He said they are aware of the political leanings of these corporate media outlets. If they come to the conclusion that these outlets are against him becoming the nominee, it will ultimately benefit him in the long term. He then highlighted his increasing support in early primary states like Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, where Trump currently holds a significant lead according to polling averages.