DeSantis’ Small-dollar Contribution Ratio Approaching a Low Level
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is lagging behind in small-dollar donations compared to other Republican presidential candidates, according to data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Small-dollar donations, typically $200 or less, are seen as a key measure of grassroots support for a candidate. They also indicate the longevity of a presidential campaign as small-dollar donors can contribute multiple times, while wealthier donors often max out their contributions early on. DeSantis has only received 17% of his donations from small-dollar donors, while 71% came from contributors giving $2,000 or more. In contrast, former President Donald Trump’s campaign received 82% of its total raised from small-dollar donors this year. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is second behind Trump in small-dollar donor contributions with 57.5%. Ramaswamy has prioritized small-dollar support and has even promised to give backers a 10% cut of the money they raise for his campaign. The decline in small-dollar donations has been a trend in recent political cycles, and the Republican National Committee has introduced new thresholds to qualify for presidential debates, requiring at least 40,000 individual donors. DeSantis’ campaign maintains that they have a strong organization and are grateful for grassroots supporters.
