TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is hoping to raise at least $10 million as part of a multi-state fundraising drive for former President Donald Trump, a man he fought in a bitter primary but with whom he has now found a cautious truce.
“I think we believe that Biden must be defeated, and that the governor is willing to lay down the sword,” said a top adviser to DeSantis. “They’ve had some good conversations over the past week.”
The fundraising events will begin as early as July and likely last through September, the DeSantis adviser said, with multiple events expected in Texas, California and Washington.
The plan is to tap states where DeSantis already had substantial donor networks during his own presidential bid to quickly raise money for Trump.
“It’s in places where there’s an existing infrastructure for this kind of thing,” the DeSantis adviser said.
The money raised will be used to fund media buys in key swing states targeted by Trump’s political sphere of influence.
The fundraising events will technically be for Right for America, a pro-Trump super PAC started in January and led by Ike Perlmutter, the former chairman of Marvel Entertainment at Disney, a longtime GOP rainmaker who has been a political advocate from both Trump and Trump. and DeSantis. The scheme was first reported by The Associated Press.
The wire service reported that Trump attended a donor event in South Florida this month hosted by DeSantis to praise his former political rival.
“Ron, I’m thrilled you’re back,” Trump said.
The committee has raised $13 million to date, with $10.1 million coming from Perlmutter and his wife Laura, according to campaign finance reports.
“Ike has been helpful over the years, so a lot of it just made sense,” the DeSantis adviser said.
Anthony Lomangino, chairman of Southern Waste Systems and a longtime Trump donor, also gave $1 million to the super PAC.
A spokesperson for Perlmutter did not immediately return a request for comment but told CNBC last year that he was willing to make a “meaningful” financial contribution to Trump’s 2024 bid for the White House.
The fundraisers are the latest example of a thawing of the relationship between Trump and DeSantis, who were longtime political allies after Trump endorsed DeSantis’ run for governor in 2018 but ultimately became bitter political enemies as the 2024 Republican presidential primary played out .
In April, DeSantis told supporters at a private event with donors that he was willing to raise money for Trump’s presidential campaign. Later that month, he had breakfast with Trump at a golf club in South Florida, and the two have had a handful of conversations since.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
