Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, is heavily reliant on an outside group funded by a small batch of wealthy individuals in his bid for the GOP presidential nomination. The Never Back Down PAC, the first official filing of which was made public on Monday night, revealed that DeSantis stands to benefit from the nearly $100 million in funds the organization had as of June 30. With this substantial financial backing, DeSantis’s campaign will largely be fueled by a shadow campaign that is legally prohibited from coordinating with the candidate.
The super PAC’s primary donor is Robert Bigelow, who contributed a staggering $20 million, accounting for more than half of the total individual contributions raised by Never Back Down since March. Bigelow has been a long-time supporter of DeSantis and previously donated $10 million to a Florida state PAC set up by the governor. In May, that PAC, now known as Empower Parents, transferred $82.5 million to Never Back Down, making it the largest injection of cash into the organization.
Bigelow, a Las Vegas real estate tycoon, is known for his eccentricities and has expressed interest in studying life after death and unidentified flying objects over his Utah ranch. He has even claimed that he would “go without food” to support DeSantis’s White House ambitions.
The majority of the funds raised by Never Back Down came from businesspeople based in Florida, as per the filing covering contributions made through June 30. One such donor is Jay Odom, a real estate developer who gave $400,000 to the super PAC. Odom was previously indicted in 2013 for involvement in a straw donation scheme that supported Mike Huckabee’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Other significant contributions include $2 million each from Stefan Brodie, the founder of a Pennsylvania chemical company, and Douglas Leone, managing partner of Sequoia Capital. Additionally, Saul Fox, a prominent GOP donor and collector of Israeli antiquities, donated $1 million, as did David Millstone, CEO of Standard Industries, and Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein, a well-known Republican donor couple.
DeSantis’s reliance on major donors contrasts with the small-dollar contributions that were a hallmark of former President Donald Trump’s campaign. Although DeSantis has received support from a wide array of GOP donors, a number of prominent conservative megadonors who have previously backed DeSantis have yet to contribute to Never Back Down.
Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, who has reportedly become disillusioned with Trump and is searching for an alternative Republican candidate to support, was notably absent from the Monday night release. Griffin’s associates recently revealed his frustration with DeSantis’s positions on various issues, including international relations, gender and sexuality education, and his ongoing dispute with Disney.
Furthermore, Jeff Yass, a highly affluent individual and early investor in TikTok, did not continue his financial support of DeSantis through Never Back Down, as indicated in the filing. Yass had previously contributed $2.6 million to the governor’s state committee earlier this year. However, Yass did donate to two PACs supporting other GOP presidential candidates this year, including $600,000 to Opportunity Matters Action Fund, which backs Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and $250,000 to Tell It Like It Is, which supports former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
While the DeSantis campaign is legally prohibited from coordinating with its aligned super PAC, there is often overlap between the two entities on the campaign trail. Never Back Down has already spent $33.7 million by the end of June, effectively becoming an extension of the campaign itself, even hosting DeSantis on recent bus tours in Iowa. In contrast, DeSantis’s official campaign spent $7.9 million between its launch in May and the end of June.
Never Back Down allocated $4 million for canvassing, $1.5 million for polling, and $1 million for payroll, indicating that it is now paying for standard campaign activities. Additionally, as the DeSantis campaign downsizes its staff as a cost-cutting measure to stabilize its financial situation, Never Back Down is considering absorbing some of the dismissed employees.
Article generated from corporate media reports.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
