The GOP in Shock as Prominent Trump Donors Switch Sides

Photo byPhoto 122725423 / Desantis © Joe Tabb | Dreamstime.com

Some of Trump's biggest supporters are fishing for their next candidate.

This weekend, several steadfast backers of the previous president Donald Trump joined the gathering of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' top funders and supporters in Palm Beach, Florida.

A cocktail reception and supper for 150 attendees preceded the start of the Florida governor's three-day retreat on Friday evening at the Four Seasons hotel, which is only four miles from Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

The gathering, being touted as a celebration of "Florida Blueprint," comes before Republican primaries where DeSantis would possibly face Trump. Now, the governor is courting prominent GOP individuals who have previously supported the former president.

Observers at the conference's opening night included Wisconsin Sen. Johnson, a long-time supporter of Donald Trump. The Arizona Republican Jim Lamon, a Trump supporter and solar energy executive who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate, was also in attendance. Lamon also actively planned to have President Joe Biden defeat Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who was formerly considered a candidate for Trump's CIA director nomination, was also present.

Mick Mulvaney, Trump's acting White House chief of staff, was also spotted. After the Capitol incident on January 6, Mulvaney departed the administration, sharply criticizing the former president for deciding to run for office again in 2024. Roy Bailey, a veteran fundraiser from Texas who assisted in running Trump's campaign finance committee, was also there.

DeSantis' fellow governors were also present, namely Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, both backed by Trump in their reelection bid in 2022.

The retreat was organized to improve DeSantis' national profile. DeSantis is a rising star in Florida, but that currency does not translate to other states.

He will need to capture the national spirit if he wants to run against Trump.

What do you think about DeSantis running for president?

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