GOP presidential candidates seek out deep-pocketed donors in wealthy Florida county: report

A once reliably blue county is attracting potential Republican presidential candidates with deep-pocketed donors, The Palm Beach Post reports.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who hasn’t yet announced his candidacy but has privately indicated that he seeks to pursue the Republican nomination, has visited Palm Beach County four times since early February, according to the report.

Former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump are also trying to make inroads in PBC.

DeSantis appeared at a Feb. 15 West Palm Beach news conference to announce a proposed “digital bill of rights” bill, hosted a Feb. 24-26 fundraising retreat at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, launched the conservative policy group Club for Growth’s retreat with an evening dinner on the first day of the March 2-4, and moderated an education roundtable March 13.

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Trump addressed conservative activists in a Feb. 20 address to Club 47 and held a MAGA Inc. fundraiser Feb. 23 at Mar-a-Lago.

Hailey also spoke at the March 2-4 Club for Growth retreat.

DeSantis is the early favorite among Florida Republican voters according to a new University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab poll. DeSantis has the support of 52 percent in the state poll, compared to 27 percent for Trump, and Haley a distant third with 4 percent.

Democrats hold a substantial voting registration in PBC, but the region backed DeSantis and fellow Republican Sen. Marco Rubio in the 2022 election, with both candidates winning by double digits, the report said.

Republicans also hold a majority on the county commission after DeSantis last year selected Michael Barnett as its chair.