Ron DeSantis' biggest donor for the 2024 presidential race is considering withdrawing his support for the Florida governor and backing former President Donald Trump.
"I've got to look at who would probably be the strongest commander, with the most experience ... And that's only one guy," real estate mogul Robert Bigelow told the Financial Times in an interview published Wednesday.
"Who would you want as a commander?" Bigelow asked. "I'd want somebody that would be a hell of an ass kicker if he needed to be. On the face of it, you lean toward Trump."
Bigelow, who this year gave $20 million to the DeSantis-aligned super PAC Never Back Down, said that he changed his mind partly because Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel showed him that the United States needs a "streetwise" leader like Trump. He also slammed a six-week abortion bill in Florida that DeSantis signed into law in April.
"Six weeks, she just found out she's pregnant, the odds are," Bigelow told the Times. "It's a sham. It's make-believe. It's condescending."
Once saying he would "go without food" to support DeSantis' presidential ambitions, Bigelow said that the Florida governor has become too focused on "conservatism." Trump, by comparison, is more socially moderate, he said.
Bigelow's comments come ahead of the third Republican National Committee primary debate Wednesday night in Miami. Five GOP candidates qualified to take the stage, including Trump, who will not attend and hold a rally in Hialeah, Fla., instead.
When asked for comment, a DeSantis campaign spokesperson referred the Times to his comments to NBC in August, when he said, "If I had a nickel for every naysayer I've had in my life, I'd be a very, very wealthy man."
Published Monday, a poll from CBS News showed Trump continuing to dominate the Republican field, as DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley battle for second place. According to the survey, Trump garnered the support of 61% of likely GOP voters.
A survey of Florida Republican voters out Tuesday found DeSantis losing steam in his home state, with 60% of registered GOP voters in the Sunshine State saying they back Trump over the governor.
Newsmax has reached out to the DeSantis campaign for comment.
Bigelow, a businessman who owns Budget Suites of America and Bigelow Aerospace, told the Times his initial support of DeSantis stemmed from when the Florida governor tried to keep the state economy open during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Bigelow, DeSantis today is less keen on scrapping in the arena of American election politics.
"I think Trump is too strong," Bigelow told the Times. "I think Trump has the momentum . .. to beat him."
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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