DeSantis Super PAC Counts Support From Conservative Megadonors

A supporter of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' bid for the Republican Party's presidential nomination watches hm speak at a rally in Newton, Iowa, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. (Austin Alonzo/The Epoch Times)

A Ron DeSantis-supporting super political action committee finds itself in the spotlight as the 2024 Republican Party primary heats up. Who’s funding the richest Republican-leaning super PAC of the 2024 primaries?

According to Federal Election Commission filings reflecting Never Back Down’s fundraising and spending activities, the PAC raised about $130.6 million through the first six months of the year. The same report said the PAC had $96.8 million on hand.

According to its FEC filings, Never Back Down is an unauthorized super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. A super PAC can solicit or make unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions, and other political committees, according to the regulatory agency.

The DeSantis-aligned super PAC leads the field in both fundraising and cash on hand by a wide margin. Its closest competitor, former President Donald Trump-supporting Make America Great Again Inc., had $30.8 million on hand when it was last required to disclose by the regulatory agency.

Never Back Down is in the political headlines due to two leadership shakeups in as many weeks. A new super PAC aligned with Mr. DeSantis launched at the end of November with the stated objective of opposing former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley in the run-up to the GOP’s Iowa Caucus.

Empower Parents PAC

The biggest donor to Never Back Down by far was Mr. DeSantis’ old Florida state PAC, Empower Parents PAC. Empower Parents sent $82.5 million to Never Back Down on May 31.

That committee was known as Friends of Ron DeSantis until May 15. It officially disbanded on May 30, according to documents filed with the Florida Department of State’s Florida Division of Elections.

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According to its Florida filings, Friends of Ron DeSantis was founded in January 2018 to support Mr. DeSantis’ successful run for governor. Mr. DeSantis defeated Democratic Party candidate and former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum by a narrow margin in that race.

Friends of Ron DeSantis continued to collect money to back Mr. DeSantis’ reelection bid. In 2022, he beat former Rep. Charlie Crist, a Democrat, soundly.

According to Florida Division of Elections data, Friends of Ron DeSantis raised about $225.9 million during its life and spent about $141.3 million, leaving about $84.5 million.

Election watchdog groups objected to the transfer of cash from a state PAC, formed to support Mr. DeSantis in a Florida election, to a national PAC backing his presidential ambitions.

Campaign Legal Center and End Citizens United (ECU) both filed complaints with the FEC, alleging the transfer was illegal. In June, ECU called the move an attempt to circumvent federal law by changing the officers, name, and website of Friends of Ron DeSantis days before the presidential campaign announcement.

“Ron DeSantis’s transfer of these funds is a flagrant and egregious violation of federal law,“ ECU President Tiffany Muller said in a release about the complaint. ”These rules are designed to safeguard against undue influence over elected officials and outright corruption.”

Empower Parents, for its part, now describes itself as a PAC supporting the “national advancement of issues and candidates committed to protecting parental rights in education.”

Robert Bigelow

The next biggest donor to Never Back Down was Robert Bigelow. Mr. Bigelow is the founder, president, and program manager of North Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace. He is also the president of Your Best Management Group LLC, which owns Budget Suites of America.

Mr. Bigelow gave about $20 million to Never Back Down in March. In 2022, according to Florida records, he gave $10 million to Friends of Ron DeSantis.

Mr. Bigelow has since shifted his support to President Trump.

The Epoch Times reached out to Mr. Bigelow but did not receive a reply by press time.

Faithful & Strong Policies Inc.

Never Back Down interim CEO Scott Wagner may well be involved with the next largest super PAC donor.

A Florida-based group, Faithful & Strong Polices Inc., gave Never Back Down $5.5 million in June. That group, according to Florida Secretary of State records, is led by Scott Wagner of Miami Beach, Florida. It was registered in March 2022.

Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis prepares to take the debate stage in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Dec. 6, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

The group’s website says Faithful & Strong “is committed to promoting and supporting conservative policies and ideas rooted in freedom and our founding principles that better the lives of individuals and families.”

Faithful & Strong Policies shares a Miami office building with Mr. Wagner’s firm, Wagner Legal. Mr. Wagner gave $10,000 to Friends of Ron DeSantis in 2018.

The Epoch Times reached out to Mr. Wagner and Faithful & Strong Polices but did not receive a reply by press time.

Douglas Leone

Venture capitalist Douglas Leone is next on the list. The global managing partner of Sequoia Capital, based in Menlo Park, California, gave Never Back Down $2 million in April.

Mr. Leone, according to federal election influence watchdog group Open Secrets, is a consistent donor to Republican Party organizations and causes. The Never Back Down donation is his largest to date.

According to Forbes, Mr. Leone is worth about $6.9 billion.

The Epoch Times reached out to Mr. Leone but did not receive a reply by press time.

Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein

Republican megadonors Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein threw their support behind Never Back Down with a $1 million donation each in April and May. The Uihleins previously donated a total of $1.9 million to Friends of Ron DeSantis.

The Uihleins are significant donors to conservative causes. According to Open Secrets, the couple donated more than $86 million to conservative groups in the 2022 election. Mr. Uihlein donated about $65 million to conservative causes in the 2020 cycle, about $37 million in 2018, and about $19 million in 2016.

Forbes estimates Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein’s net worth at $4.9 billion. The couple founded the Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin-based packing product company Uline in 1980. Mr. Uihlein is an heir to the Schlitz beer fortune.

The Epoch Times reached out to representatives of the Uihleins but did not receive a reply by press time.

Stefan Brodie

Stefan Brodie gave $1 million to Never Back Down in February, shortly after the super PAC was formed. He gave another $1 million in June.

Mr. Brodie, also known as Steve Brodie, is the CEO and founder of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based ion exchange resin technology company Purolite. Saint Paul, Minnesota-based Ecolab Inc. acquired the company for about $3.7 billion in 2021.

Mr. Brodie, according to Open Secrets records, is a major donor to the Florida Republican Party, the Republican National Committee, and the Republican-supporting Congressional Leadership Fund.

The Epoch Times reached out to representatives of Mr. Brodie but did not receive a reply by press time.

Other $1 Million Donors

Two others—Saul Fox and David Millstone—donated $1 million each to Never Back Down.

Saul Fox is CEO of Fox Paine & Co., a private equity investment and advisory firm based in Miami Beach, Florida. He made the $1 million donation in June.

The Epoch Times reached out to Mr. Fox but did not receive a reply by press time.

David Millstone is co-CEO of New York-based Standard Industries Inc. He gave $1 million to never back down in April.

Mr. Millstone, according to Open Secrets records, is a consistent donor to political causes on both sides of the aisle. However, his largest consistent donations have gone to the Republican National Committee.

The Epoch Times reached out to Mr. Millstone but did not receive a reply by press time.