Donald Trump got blindsided.
Trump expected to maintain his base from 2016 and 2020.
But one top ally defected from Donald Trump and you won’t believe which Republican they are supporting in 2024.
The 2024 Republican Presidential Primary is shaping up as a two-man race between Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Some of Trump’s former allies and supporters view DeSantis as the more electable version of Donald Trump.
One Trump supporter that jumped ship to DeSantis is Don Tapia, Trump’s Ambassador to Jamaica.
Tapia donated $50,000 to Governor DeSantis’ political organization and said Trump’s name calling of DeSantis like “Meatball Ron” and “Ron DeSanctimonious” turned off him and a number of other big money donors who previously contributed to Trump’s campaign.
“The name-calling has turned a lot of people off,” Tapia told POLITICO. “Let me tell you, we don’t like that.”
Tapia was not the only Trump donor to jump ship to DeSantis.
Three other high dollar Trump contributors also now back Ron DeSantis ahead of his expected Presidential campaign.
“Trader and investor Jeffrey Yass donated $2.5 million to DeSantis’ state political committee on February 7, according to online records maintained by the organization, Friends of Ron DeSantis. And Jude and Christopher Reyes, the billionaire brothers behind one of the country’s largest beer and food distributors, each gave DeSantis’ committee $1 million last week as well,” CNN reported.
Both DeSantis and Trump are set to host competing donor retreats in Florida where both men will look to line up mega donor support in advance of 2024.
DeSantis expects to focus his event on how fighting back against the woke left led to DeSantis’ sweeping 19-point re-election victory.
“Much of the attention, however, will be on DeSantis’ retreat, which is drawing donors, lawmakers and other supporters. According to a person familiar with the plans for the event, DeSantis is expected to discuss how he won a landslide 2022 reelection race and key planks of his agenda, including his ongoing fight with Disney, his decision to send planes of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., and his battle against what he has derided as ‘woke’ liberals. The governor’s team will also give a data-focused briefing on the reelection win,” POLITICO reports.
Polls show Trump leading DeSantis by varying margins even though DeSantis has not yet declared his candidacy.
But the fact that some of Trump’s top supporters are now backing Ron DeSantis is a sign that the coming fight for the GOP nomination is not going to be a cake walk for anyone.
Renewed Right will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.