Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tops $5.2 million in state matching funds, records show

As he piles up money for his re-election bid, Gov. Ron DeSantis has received more than $5.2 million in state matching funds.

DeSantis last week added $117,679 in matching funds, bringing his total to $5.21 million. At last tally, the governor had around $128 million in cash-on-hand between his regular campaign account and his political fundraising committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis.  

State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis was the only other statewide candidate who drew matching funds last week, according to numbers posted Thursday on the state Division of Elections website.

The program provides matches to contributions of $250 or less from individuals to statewide candidates’ campaign accounts. Gubernatorial candidates are ineligible for the money until they collect $150,000 in contributions. For state Cabinet candidates, the threshold is $100,000.

Matching funds are not available for contributions to political committees or outside of statewide races.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist did not receive matching funds last week but has drawn $1.7 million from the program since the first round of distributions on July 22. The state has distributed $8.48 million so far this year.

In 2018, the program was tapped for $9.85 million, with DeSantis getting $3.2 million of that total.

Patronis last week picked up $600 from the program to increase his matching-funds total to $187,092. Adam Hattersley, the Democrat running for CFO, has filed for the program but has not drawn state dollars.

Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody, who has received $251,723 from the program, did not receive a distribution in the latest round. Her Democratic challenger, Aramis Ayala, has not participated in the program.

Naomi Blemur, who won the Democratic primary for agriculture commissioner, has not drawn money from the program, while her Republican opponent, Senate President Wilton Simpson, has not signed up for it.