Money burnt. Costs of DeSantis Campaign
Since the campaign costs went to the media, people are astonished that this money was spent to give up after one test.
10:54 AM EST, February 1, 2024
$160 million
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida's bid for the presidency came with a hefty price tag exceeding $160 million, landing him a second-place finish in a crucial nominating event. This staggering expenditure ranks his campaign as one of the costliest in the history of modern Republican primaries.
The Federal Election Commission filings, unveiled on Wednesday, detail the lavish spending patterns of DeSantis and his supporting super PACs. A significant portion of the funds, over $53 million, was funneled through entities associated with Jeff Roe, a leading Republican strategist and the principal advisor to DeSantis's primary super PAC, Never Back Down.
They allocated $31.3 million toward purchasing television ad slots to sway voters. Private jet travel shared between the campaign and Never Back Down accounted for at least $3.3 million of the campaign expenditures.
Furthermore, approximately $110,000 was contributed to the campaign efforts of state and federal officials who had thrown their support behind DeSantis. This extensive financial outlay was all in pursuit of securing 23,420 votes in Iowa and supporting Trump.
Source: The New York Times; Politico; NBC