- Ron DeSantis' campaign has spent nearly half of its raised funds for the Republican primary.
- At the same time, the campaign has had to lay off members of their large 90-person staff.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is burning through cash, campaign finance documents reveal, forcing his team to lay off staffers.
DeSantis initially amassed an impressive $20 million in donations during the first six weeks of his campaign. But The New York Times reports that the campaign has already spent about $8 million of that — leaving the team with just $9 million left to spend on the primary. The remaining $3 million can only be spent in the general election in the event DeSantis wins the Republican nomination, according to the Times.
While DeSantis can continue raising money, $14 million of that total came from large donors who gave the maximum legal amount to his campaign and can't donate again, NBC News reports. And with small donations proving to be a challenge for several Republican candidates, according to NBC News, future fundraising efforts may not be as fruitful for DeSantis.
The Times called DeSantis' finances and team downsizing an "ominous" sign for his chances in the Republican primary, especially as he trails candidates like former President Donald Trump in public polls.
With only a little more than half his funds left, DeSantis' campaign laid off several employees. While the Times reports the exact number is unknown, one staffer told the outlet it was fewer than 10 people. Payroll is one of the campaign's largest expenses, coming in at $1 million to pay about 90 staffers.
Other costly expenditures include DeSantis' travel budget, which came in at $1.3 million, as well as expenses for an online donation-processing company, which cost almost $1 million.