Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis’ biggest donors were ready to jump ship before his futile presidential campaign even started.
And the flailing Florida governor hasn’t inspired much confidence since then.
Now trailing Donald Trump by more than 40 points nationally, DeSantis’ Oval Office bid appears to be nothing more than a vanity play. His biggest donor, space-exploring real estate baron Robert Bigelow, says he’s thinking of taking his money elsewhere… to Trump!
In a wild interview with the Financial Times, Bigelow, who’s dumped more than $20 million into DeSantis’ campaign, says he thinks Trump is “too strong” for “Meatball Ron” to bring down.
“I think Trump has the momentum, the inertia, to beat him,” he said.
To put it another way, Bigelow says Trump is the “bull,” whereas DeSantis is “dinner.”
Yikes!
The biggest LOSER
— Old and In the Way (@xpthornton) November 8, 2023
This isn’t the first time Bigelow has publicly criticized DeSantis.
A few months back, Bigelow said he wouldn’t give the gay-hating governor any more money until he adopted a more moderate approach.
That hasn’t happened. Bigelow’s biggest issue with DeSantis stems from his support for Florida’s draconian six-week abortion ban.
“Six weeks, she just found out she’s pregnant, the odds are,” he said. “It’s a sham. It’s make-believe. It’s condescending.”
When a Las Vegas real estate mogul who thinks he can survive death sounds more reasonable than the candidate he’s supporting, that’s a bad sign.
Bigelow adds he was offended when Casey DeSantis, and not Ron, called him following his abortion comments.
“Not having him bother to call me for an explanation taught me that he’s more of a user of people, actually, and that I didn’t matter enough for him to pick up the phone,” he said.
Bigelow is far from the only person to accuse DeSantis of poor social etiquette. Joe Gruters, who served as chairman of the Florida GOP during DeSantis’ first term, once put his problem succinctly.
“The more he is met by people, the more they are not going to like him,” he said.
With the third Republican debate slated for Wednesday night, DeSantis is running out of opportunities to boost his sputtering campaign.
While he recently gained the endorsement of Iowa governor Kim Reynolds, that likely won’t be enough to close his 30-point gap against Trump in the Hawkeye State.
Months ago, DeSantis shifted about one-third of his remaining campaign staff to Iowa. But it seems like he’s destined for a second place finish, or worse. Nikki Haley was tied with DeSantis in a recent Iowa survey.
The former U.N. ambassador has already surpassed DeSantis in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
With the power of the governorship behind him, DeSantis has tried to insert himself into international affairs. He’s bragged about sending weapons to Israel, though an Israeli diplomat pushed back on his assertion.
Bigelow says he thinks Trump, who recently praised the terrorist group Hezbollah for its intelligence, is better suited to handle the war in Gaza.
“I’ve got to look at who would probably be the strongest commander, with the most experience . . . And that’s only one guy,” he said. “Who would you want as a commander? I’d want somebody that would be a hell of an a** kicker, if he needed to be. On the face of it, you lean toward Trump.”
There have been questions about DeSantis’ fitness dating back to the spring. Another big time donor, Thomas Peterffy, says DeSantis’ views on “abortion and book banning” caused him to pull his financial support as well.
Ike Perlmutter, a billionaire ex-Marvel and Disney executive, threw his support behind Trump in July.
Rolling Stone also obtained screenshots from a group chat between several DeSantis donors, and the comments aren’t flattering.
“What the f*** is wrong with RD?,” asked one of them.
Months later, we’re still not sure. DeSantis is now busy raging about foot fetishes and credible accusations that he wears heels in his boots.
That’s probably not the way to woo donors, either, but we’ll see!
abfab
Get a load of those window treatments behind Bigelow’s desk and how the shirt clashes perfectly. Now that’s Republican style right there.
Meatball Ron. How did he get that name!!!
abfab
Oh brother………………………..
Bigelow, the founder of Budget Suites of America and Bigelow Aerospace, had warmed to DeSantis because he tried to keep Florida’s economy open during the pandemic, saying the state “epitomised the land of the free”.
Financial Times
ZzBomb
No wonder the GQP was so hard on for the Citizens United decision. All their donors look like a groomer version of the Tales from the Crypt guy.
abfab
He makes the Koch brothers look like Hollywood film stars!
still_onthemark
“I think Trump has the momentum, the inertia, to beat him,” Bigelow said.
I’ve never thought of momentum and inertia as the same thing. But maybe in Trump’s case, they are. He does have a sort of heavy, weighty, ponderous, lugubrious, momentous, pseudo-energetic inertia!
abfab
Oh that’s too funny.
a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged.
“the problem runs deeper than bureaucratic inertia”
Similar:
inactivity
inaction
inactiveness
inertness
dormancy
passivity
apathy
accidie
malaise
stagnation
dullness
enervation
sluggishness
lethargy
languor
languidness
listlessness
torpor
torpidity
idleness
indolence
laziness
sloth
slothfulness
motionlessness
immobility
lifelessness
fainéance
stasis
otiosity
hebetude
Opposite:
activity
energy
bachy
So many conservative men I’ve talked to prefer “ass-kicking” to diplomacy. I understand the appeal. “Ass-kicking” may be a great choice in a bar fight – but the problem with an “ass-kicking” American president is scale.
“Ass-kicking” on that scale means bombs, destruction and massive civilian casualties. We’re obviously so much better off with diplomacy. There’s enough death and destruction in the world to satisfy even the thirstiest appetite for blood – even without an “ass-kicking” American president.
abfab
Toxic masculinity. USA USA USA!!
Baron Wiseman
@bachy
Diplomacy?
Like President Trump and his Abraham Accords? Bringing peace to the Middle East, in which, many said it couldn’t be done.
Now, with a bumbling, mumbling embarrassing fool, we approach a new world war.
abfab
Baron, oh sorry, I mean George Santos…..hush up already.
Kangol2
The “Abraham Accords” weren’t worth the paper they were signed on without a substantial component to address the ongoing oppression of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, and as we saw, they helped net Jared Kushner $2.2 billion from Saudi Arabia and gave Bibi Netanyahu and his ever more extreme governments the green light to keep building settlements and pushing for extremist laws that roiled Israeli society before the Hamas attack, and that have laid bare how threadbare they were since the attack, as Israel now pounds Gaza into oblivion. You may call that “peace,” but the rest of the world sees right through it.
dbmcvey
So funny Oxymoron! Peace to the Middle East? Let us all know when that happens.
Baron Wiseman
@Kangol2
As you are well aware, the Trump Abraham Accords have nothing to do with Palestine. As a terrorist appeaser, please stop changing the subject to suit your needs.
Palestine has had 5 opportunities to have their own statehood and each time they have turned it down. Their hatred of Israel and Israelis is greater than any desire for peace or statehood.
Israel uses rockets to defend its people, Hamas uses people to defend its rockets. No matter how many Jews Hamas kills, they will never be satisfied.
abfab
And the United States of America uses PEOPLE to die abroad defending its failed policies.
And then we torture innocent human beings at places like Abu Grahib. How lovely we all are.
Fahd
That part about how DeSaster didn’t personally call his biggest donor about the donor’s concerns, but let the Mrs. handle it….wow. Sheldon Adelson would have dropped DeSaster long ago.
Maybe “what’s wrong with RD” is that he has some disability which impedes his social skills or maybe he has corns from the lifts/heels he is wearing inside his boots — I’ve heard corns can be very painful.
Kangol2
DeFascist should just drop out at this point and let Nikki Haley make a concerted push to oust the GQP cult leader Don the Con from the Republican primary.
cuteguy
Nikki is a women who is trying to get the GQP nomination in a party that is proven to be extremely misogynistic and xenophobic (doesn’t she have Native American nationality). The GQP is a modern day Nazi Party and they want an old WHITE cis gender male being their dictator um “leader”. Women are second class citizens according to these Bible thumping m0rons. That’s why abortion was the number one issue in yesterdays elections. Women are piss€d and they don’t want to live a real life version of the handmaid’s tale
Baron Wiseman
@cuteguy
Are you not paying attention?
There is a reason they call them Democratic Nazis. Have you not seen the hundreds of thousands across our country protesting the hatred and destruction of Israel. A few days ago, here in LA, a pro-Palestinian protester got into a altercation with an elder Jewish man that resulted in the Jews death. It has been ruled a homicide.
When Democrat protesters side with Islamic Nazis terrorists they deserve the moniker Democratic Nazis.
abfab
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, now everybody be quiet and let the trolls watch their zany clowns debate.
dbmcvey
God, Oxymoron is an idiot.
cuteguy
Pudding fingers needs to take off his 11 inch pumps and call it a day.
abfab
Give him a booster seat tonight.
wikidBSTN
OMG! That shirt with those curtains. What a disaster! 😉
abfab
Isn’t it hideous! OMG!
abfab
Ahh yes, the ”debate”.
Rhonda in the middle looks taller than his asshole running mates. And Chrissy looks twice as fat as last time he ran…like he runs, yeah right.
Gary Coleman has risen from the grave.
Nicky still looks and talks like a bimbo, still smells like curry. Who else is on that stage worth noting?
abfab
Ramaswamy slams GOP and RNC chair: “We’ve become a party of losers”.
Become?
dbmcvey
Lack of self awareness.
abfab
The coaches are on strike?
abfab
Sure, Jan
“America is the home to more energy resources than any other country on the planet. We can reduce the price of energy.”
— Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina
abfab
DeSantis ends by saying that he would put “service above self” as president and that he is confident he would win the general election.
Meant to say that he would but his feet above heels to appear manly. Taller. More statesman-like.