Former Trump Donor And Ambassador Says He’d Back DeSantis In 2024
Mary Lou Masters on February 21, 2023
A former donor and ambassador to Jamaica for President Donald Trump, who supported him in 2016 and 2020, said he will back Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2024 should he decide to run for president, according to Politico.
Don Tapia plans to attend DeSantis’ three-day retreat on Friday, which he believes will be filled with former Trump donors, Politico reported. A large group of donors who supported the former president are ready to turn the page and back DeSantis instead, while some are still playing the field, according to Politico.
Tapia told Politico that Trump’s style is getting old, and many donors don’t like his jabs at DeSantis.
“The name-calling has turned a lot of people off,” Tapia told Politico. “Let me tell you, we don’t like that.”
Three big donor events will take place later this week, with Trump’s MAGA Inc. PAC hosting an event on Friday in Palm Beach, Florida, Karl Rove hosting a conference on Friday in Austin, Texas, and DeSantis hosting his retreat this weekend, also in Palm Beach, Politico reported.
These events will indicate who these donors will back in 2024, depending on whose event they attend, according to Politico.
The former ambassador has contributed to the governor’s efforts before, donating over $50,000 to DeSantis for his 2022 reelection campaign and also hosting a couple of fundraisers for him, Politico reported.
Tapia is an Army veteran and a retired CEO and chairman of Essco Group Management, an electrical company from Arizona in which he served for 30 years.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who is officially in the race, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina will be in attendance at the Texas conference, according to Politico.
Neither the Trump campaign nor DeSantis’ team immediately responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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