Allies of former President Donald Trump are accusing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of running a “shadow presidential campaign.”
Make America Great Again Inc. is calling on the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate DeSantis, alleging that the governor has violated some state statutes as well as federal campaign finance laws.
According to the 15-page letter, DeSantis is referred to as a “de facto candidate for president” and claims that he is “leveraging his elected office and breaching his associated duties in a coordinated effort to develop his national profile, enrich himself and his political allies, and influence the national electorate.”
“Governor DeSantis’ failure to declare his candidacy is no mere oversight,” the complaint read. “[I]t is a coordinated effort to specifically designed for him to accept, as unethical gifts, illegal campaign contributions and certain personal benefits that are necessarily intended to influence his official decision to resign from office under Florida’s resign to run law.
“Governor DeSantis’ ham-handed maneuverings have rendered him irreparably conflicted and have left the statehouse vacant,” the complaint added.
The complaint refers to the Florida law that states: “No person may qualify as a candidate for more than one public office, whether federal, state, district, county, or municipal, if the terms or any part thereof run concurrently with each other.”
This comes as DeSantis told his allies recently that he intends to run for president, with a possible announcement in the coming weeks.
The Washington Post reported recently that the governor’s political committee will serve as the launching pad for the governor’s higher office ambitions. Sources familiar with the situation said that he plans to announce his candidacy once Florida’s legislative session ends in May.
DeSantis has hinted at a presidential run for months, attending events to secure donors from longtime backers of Trump.
Ken Cuccinelli, the former acting director for immigration services under Trump, will lead a new PAC called Never Back Down. Those who are familiar with the group’s plans expect that some of the GOP’s largest contributors will use the committee as a means of making significant contributions in support of DeSantis.
Trump, however, still holds a plurality of support among Republican voters. The latest NYT/Siena survey found that nearly 50 percent of voters said they want him to run in 2024, while 25 percent named DeSantis.
