Here’s to hoping Florida is ready for another four years under a lying, conniving, anti-vaxxer, anti-mask governor who soundlessly kicked off his reelection campaign Friday, all while raising millions over the past several months via a political action committee—so very shady. 

Under Florida law, once a person becomes a candidate they must sign a campaign oath and file a financial disclosure within 10 days before beginning to raise money. The money is limited to $3,000 from any single person or entity. Hence Gov. Ron DeSantis’ sexy relationship with a political action committee, which can legally collect unlimited money, as long as it remains disconnected from a campaign. 

At a press conference in Pasco County, Florida, DeSantis officially signed paperwork adding his name to the 2022 ballot, allowing him to start running ads and speaking at campaign rallies. But here’s the rub: By skirting the law and waiting to throw his name in the hat, DeSantis has managed to raise $53 million under his Friends of Ron DeSantis political action committee. 

“We’re not going to be doing really anything in terms of public announcements ‘til after the legislative session, but you know, you got to prepare for these things,’’ DeSantis said when a reporter asked him Monday when he would formally announce his reelection. 

According to the Miami Herald, DeSantis raised donations of $25 or less “while also collecting dozens of five- and six-figure contributions, the majority of which are from out of state.” 

Also, DeSantis has taken advantage of his position in the past year by connecting his press events with his gubernatorial announcements, and then using those announcements to campaign for money. 

From offering signing bonuses to any out-of-state law enforcement members willing to move to Florida to skirt vaccine mandates, to issues on immigration and federal mask mandates, as soon as DeSantis proclaims a position to the legislature and makes a public announcement in a press conference, a fundraising email drops into a donor’s box. 

As the Miami Herald reports, when DeSantis went after public education last week, spewing his vitriol to ban mask and vaccine mandates, $100,000 in contributions rolled into his account from the DeVos family—the wealthy relatives of former President Donald Trump’s Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, aka the dumbest member of Trump’s Cabinet, hands down. 

According to NBC News, in September, DeSantis’ donors included Ken Griffin, the GOP megadonor and billionaire founder of the Citadel hedge fund. Griffing donated $5 million to DeSantis’ campaign in April, the largest donation he has received this year. In May, DeSantis got $500,000 from WeatherTech founder David MacNeil, $250,000 in March from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, and $250,000 in February from former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, who moved to Florida after he lost reelection. 

In September DeSantis used Sean Hannity’s Fox News (or Pravda, as I like to call it) program to deflect from his plans to run for president in 2024 and instead announce his reelection campaign. 

“I’m not considering anything beyond doing my job,’’ Desantis said in response to a question about a possible presidential run.  “We’ve got a lot of stuff going on in Florida,’” DeSantis said. “I’m going to be running for reelection next year.”

Another talented grifter, challenging Republican Florida voters to play a fun game of Three-card Monte. Good luck folks! It’s not as if DeSantis hasn’t had over 60,000 residents die of COVID-19 on his watch while poo-pooing vaccines and masks.