Nearly six months in the past, Kenneth Griffin, the Republican megadonor and hedge fund government, appeared poised to be a strong monetary backer of Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida in his anticipated run for president.
Mr. Griffin had given $5 million to Mr. DeSantis’s re-election effort, and he informed Politico that whereas Mr. DeSantis was not but a White House candidate, “he has a tremendous record as governor of Florida, and our country would be well served by him as president.”
These days, Mr. Griffin is preserving his playing cards nearer to the vest, and his intentions are more durable to discern. An individual accustomed to his pondering, noting that Mr. DeSantis had not but made his run official, stated Mr. Griffin was nonetheless evaluating the Republican main race because it unfolded.
The financier and Mr. DeSantis met in Florida within the final two weeks, in accordance with two individuals with information of the assembly, which got here as Mr. Griffin has taken situation in personal conversations with a few of Mr. DeSantis’s coverage strikes and pronouncements. In specific, the 2 individuals stated, Mr. Griffin was deeply troubled by Mr. DeSantis’s statements that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a “territorial dispute” — a comment he later tried to make clear — and that the warfare was not an important U.S. curiosity.
Mr. Griffin, who has made clear that he needs to maneuver on from former President Donald J. Trump, was additionally disconcerted by a six-week abortion ban in Florida that Mr. DeSantis lately signed, in accordance with the individuals accustomed to Mr. Griffin’s pondering, who insisted on anonymity to debate personal conversations. Last yr, Mr. Griffin moved his hedge fund, Citadel, to Miami from Chicago, citing crime considerations.
The assembly between the governor and Mr. Griffin was, for probably the most half, one on one, with out employees members, one of many individuals briefed on it stated, and it was one in all their few direct interactions. Reading Mr. Griffin’s intentions after the assembly has been troublesome for some individuals near him.
One individual predicted the financier was nonetheless more likely to donate to Mr. DeSantis as soon as he made his candidacy official, which might occur as early as subsequent month. But the individual stated Mr. Griffin may also give to different candidates who appeared capable of defeat Mr. Trump.
In a press release, Zia Ahmed, a spokesman for Mr. Griffin, ticked off Mr. DeSantis’s “many accomplishments” and talked about job creation, “increasing the number of quality school options, and prioritizing the safety of our communities.”
He went on, “Ken may not agree with all of the governor’s policies, but he appreciates all that the governor has done to make Florida one of the most attractive states to live and work in America.”
But Mr. Ahmed declined to deal with what Mr. Griffin thought in regards to the presidential race. A spokesman for Mr. DeSantis declined to remark.
What Mr. Griffin does is being carefully watched, after phrase unfold of his unhappiness about how Mr. DeSantis had comported himself early this yr.
Mr. DeSantis’s supporters say there’s nonetheless a broad urge for food — within the donor neighborhood and amongst potential voters — for a viable Republican various to Mr. Trump.
“The money has walked,” stated Roy Bailey, a Dallas businessman and longtime Republican fund-raiser for Mr. Trump. “From my conversations with a lot of people from around the country, it has moved to DeSantis. It is a cold, hard fact.”
Mr. Bailey disputed the concept that momentum had shifted away from Mr. DeSantis lately.
In the primary two weeks of May, Mr. DeSantis is about to host a sequence of small dinners with main donors and supporters from throughout the nation on the governor’s mansion in Tallahassee, in accordance with two individuals with information of his plans.
If Mr. DeSantis enters the presidential race as anticipated, he will likely be armed with a well-funded tremendous PAC, Never Back Down, which stated this month that it had raised $30 million in its first few weeks of fund-raising.
Two-thirds of that cash, $20 million, got here from a single donor, the Nevada resort magnate Robert Bigelow, Time journal reported.
In personal conversations, Mr. DeSantis’s associates have indicated that they’ve $100 million in commitments to the tremendous PAC, together with roughly $82 million in a Florida committee that may most likely be transferred to Never Back Down.
Still, some donors who had hoped Mr. DeSantis might cease Mr. Trump have cooled their enthusiasm.
Thomas Peterffy, a distinguished conservative donor, additionally cited Florida’s abortion legislation in explaining why he was withholding assist from Mr. DeSantis for now. Mr. Peterffy had supported Mr. DeSantis in his state campaigns, and in accordance with one individual accustomed to the occasion, hosted Mr. DeSantis at his home early in his first time period as governor. But Mr. Peterffy informed The Financial Times this month he was holding nonetheless, as have been some buddies.
Some donors have additionally expressed concern about Mr. DeSantis’s pre-campaign technique. When his allies made clear this yr that he wouldn’t enter the race earlier than the tip of the legislative session in Florida, Mr. DeSantis successfully gave Mr. Trump three months to outline him — and taunt him — earlier than changing into a candidate.
Source: www.nytimes.com