Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) raked in $8.2 million in the 24 hours following his announcement that he's running for president in 2024, his campaign announced Thursday.
Why it matters: The vast amount establishes DeSantis as the main challenger to 2024 Republican presidential rival former President Trump.
- It's more than President Biden raised in the same period in 2019 when he kicked off his 2020 campaign. And Trump brought in some $9.5 million in the six weeks following his 2024 announcement, per the New York Times, which first reported news of DeSantis' fund-raising haul.
- "A super PAC supporting Mr. DeSantis is planning for a $200 million budget but campaign funds are far harder to raise because they face a strict donation cap," the NYT notes.
Between the lines: Beating Republican presidential frontrunner Trump in the GOP primary would be a Herculean task.
- But the Florida governor's allies are laying the groundwork for a campaign that matches the massive scale of his challenge, with the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down counting on over 2,600 field organizers by Labor Day, Axios' Zachary Basu notes.
The big picture: DeSantis' campaign got off to a glitchy start on Wednesday as his official launch on Twitter Spaces was plagued by technical issues. DeSantis told Fox News later that night it "did break the Twitter Spaces," but "we're really excited with the enthusiasm."
- His press secretary Bryan Griffin tweeted Wednesday night that the DeSantis campaign had raised $1 million "in one hour... and counting!"
- Griffin tweeted on Thursday night: "$8.2 million in the first 24 hours. Our Great American Comeback!"
Go deeper... DeSantis' 2024 pitch: Make America Florida
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
