(USNewsMag.com) – Launched March 9, the Never Back Down super PAC, has raised $30 million since its launch. The super PAC is expected to be the main political group for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to launch a presidential campaign when the Florida legislature ends its session in May.
The funds were all raised and not just transferred from other committees. Donations from outside Florida account for half the contributions, according to an official. The money being raised online by Never Back Down is being put into a fund, “Draft Ron,’ which would be able to be transferred to a presidential campaign for DeSantis.
The group has also been promoting DeSantis on social media.
Legally, super PACs are able to raise an unlimited amount of money from individuals, unions, corporations and associations. Super PACs are legally allowed to spend an unlimited amount of money supporting or opposing political candidates. Under federal rules, super PACs are prohibited from coordinating or contributing to a candidate or candidate’s campaign directly.
In his state political committee, DeSantis had over $80 million as of March. Those funds could be transferred to a separate group supporting a presidential campaign.
In his 2022 reelection campaign, DeSantis made history, raising $217 million, the most by a gubernatorial candidate ever in the U.S.
Since its launch, the group has hired staff who worked for former President Donald Trump, such as the super PAC’s communications director Erin Perrine, and the super PAC’s chairman Ken Cuccinelli, former acting deputy homeland security director during the Trump administration. The group also hired the former head of the Trump campaign’s rapid response operation Matt Wolking.
Jeff Roe, a strategist who managed the 2016 presidential campaign of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and served in 2021 as a top advisor for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, has also been hired by the super PAC.
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