The 2024 presidential primary race is shaping up to be a pricey one.
According to the GOP Primary Ad Spending reports, Florida’s Governor Ron SeSantis is spending literally twice as much as Donald J. Trump, who is said to be the front-runner in polls.
DeSantis has committed $4.4 million dollars to the primary battle, versus Trump’s $2.2 million.
Other leaders in the race are represented as follows:
Senator Rick Scott: $3.5 million
$3.5 million (PAC group)
Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota: $2.6 million
Anti-Trump PAC: $1.7 million.
Other candidates to oppose the Democratic candidate in 2024 include Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamey and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
Trump is not going to come to the Iowa gathering, probably because the organizer is an outspoken Trump opponent.
In New Hampshire, the spending is as follows:
Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota: $2.8 million
Trump Super PAC: $2 million
Senator Rick Scott: $2 million
Senator Rick Scott Super PAC: $1.9 million
Florida Governor Rick DeSantis Super Pac: $1.3 million
In South Carolina, the DeSantis Super PAC is spending $3.7 million.
The Anti Trump forces are investing $1.7 million
In Nevada, the DeSantis Super PAC is spending %631,000.
So, as I sit here on the Illinois side of the Iowa/Illinois Quad Cities, it looks like the state of Iowa will rake in big bucks and the primary campaign will cost roughly $20 million dollars
.
The entire tactic of doing well in Iowa and using it as a launching pad for the nomination was pioneered by Jimmy Carter in 1974, when he began campaigning ahead of the 1976 presidential race. That was nearly 50 years ago.
In the wake of Watergate, 17 Democratic candidates came out of the woodwork to capitalize on the Ford pardon of Nixon and the stigma of Watergate. Carter took an early lead in Iowa and New Hampshire despite having almost no national profile. He was able to secure the Democratic presidential nomination with close to 40% of his party’s primary vote. Ever since Jimmy Carter pioneered the technique of winning early in Iowa and New Hampshire, it has continued to be the path to victory.