Ron DeSantisThe campaign said it raised $8.2 million in 24 hours Florida governor announces his 2024 presidential campaign.
A donor who called the room first reported that the campaign had raised $8.2 million, a figure that was confirmed by Brian Griffin, a spokesman for Mr. DeSantis, said New York Times.
The figure is more than the $6.3 million of that president Joe Biden collected in the first 24 hours as a candidate in 2019. It’s also more than the $6.1 million raised by former Rep. Beth O’Rourke the same year.
That’s roughly double the $4 million that Donald Trump’s campaign said it raised in the 24 hours after he was criminally indicted earlier this year.
The fundraiser began Wednesday as participants began “pooling dollars” and received swag that included baseball caps, pens and stress balls, Business Insider reported. Supporters of Mr. DeSantis gathered at the Four Seasons in Miami’s Brickell financial district to raise money for his 2024 campaign, the report said.
Mr. Griffin told the publication that the campaign is raising funds for both the primary and the general election. A campaign can raise $3,300 per donor in both the primary and the general election.
He did not specify how the money was intended to be used only in the general election if Mr. DeSantis becomes a candidate.
It’s also unclear how many donors contributed in the first 24 hours.
Mr. DeSantis is formal launched his campaign on Wednesday during an online chat with Twitter CEO Elon Musk.
But the audio stream repeatedly glitched, making it difficult for most users to hear the announcement in real time.
Mr. Griffin said Thursday that the company raised $1 million in the first hour after Wednesday’s announcement.
“There was so much enthusiasm for Governor DeSantis’ vision for our Great American Comeback that he literally broke the Internet,” he tweeted.
“Next Washington. $1 million raised online in one hour… and counting!”
According to A NYT The report said the $8.2 million raised by Mr. DeSantis surpassed Mr. Trump, who raised about $9.5 million in the six weeks after he announced his campaign in mid-November.