DeSantis' Biggest Donor Considers Backing Trump

Facts

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' biggest donor, Robert Bigelow, is reportedly considering switching his support to former president Donald Trump, alleging the conservative governor has been running a weak campaign.¹
• Though the Nevada hotel entrepreneur insisted he was 'pro-Trump,' he said he would 'remain on the sidelines' and only financially back Trump once he was sure the Republican hopeful isn't headed to prison.²
• Bigelow cited Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel for his change of heart, stating that the US requires a 'streetwise' leader who 'would be a hell of an ass-kicker if he needed to be.'³
• In August, he had threatened to stop funding DeSantis' presidential campaign unless the Republican attracted moderate voters and new major donors.⁴
• Despite donating $20M to his Never Back Down super political action committee in March, Bigelow reportedly disapproved of the Republican's signing of a bill that bans abortion after six weeks.⁵
• About 75% of funds raised by DeSantis have reportedly come from donors who are restricted from making any further donations, as they have already maxed out the primary amount of $3.3K.⁶

Sources: ¹FT, ²Reuters, ³Politico (a), ⁴Verity Lite, ⁵Forbes and ⁶Politico (b).

Narratives

• Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by Daily Caller. Ron DeSantis is far behind Donald Trump in the polls, currently dueling it out with Nikki Haley for the second-place position. His funding is not exactly in the best of health, despite a strong cash haul since launching his presidential campaign in May. As there's a lot of frustration with the DeSantis campaign, it's astute for Bigelow to be shifting loyalties and looking for an alternative for the public good.
• Anti-Trump narrative, as provided by The New York Times. While some donors may have grown wary of the DeSantis campaign, it doesn't mean his presidential dreams are doomed. Prominent Republican donors, including Canary CEO Dan Eberhart and Point Bridge Capital CEO Hal Lambert, believe his 2024 bid is on track. The amount of funding raised by DeSantis' campaign so far is indicative of a sense of renewal among his supporters.

Predictions