Last week I noticed a tweet that caught my attention because it announced the support of a wealthy Texan for Ron DeSantis. It said that Joe Lonsdale, a venture capitalist & one of the founders of Palantir, is endorsing DeSantis. He has “tons of connections across tech + politics.”

NEWS —

Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) is officially backing @RonDeSantis, per an email sent by Lonsdale to his network and obtained by @PuckNews.

Lonsdale, a venture capitalist & one of the founders of Palantir, is a big get for DeSantis. Tons of connections across tech + politics. pic.twitter.com/LHXsS1au13

— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) May 26, 2023

DeSantis is coming to Texas next week for a three-day fundraising trip, his first since declaring his candidacy. He will do well. Nikki Haley is also coming to Texas next week for the same reason.

Some of Texas’ biggest Republican donors are getting behind Ron DeSantis as he plans his first fundraising trip to Texas as a presidential candidate.

The Florida governor is set to visit Texas from June 7-9 for a six-city fundraising tour, according to a schedule obtained by The Texas Tribune. He will be in Midland on June 7; Fort Worth, Dallas and Houston on June 8; and The Woodlands and Austin on June 9.

It will be DeSantis’ first visit to the state since he officially launched his White House bid last week, stepping forward as the most viable Republican challenger to former President Donald Trump. DeSantis will not be the only 2024 GOP contender raising money in Texas next week, with Nikki Haley planning to make stops from June 6-8 in Midland, Houston and Dallas.

Of note, the Midland oil man who has been the single biggest donor to Governor Greg Abbott over his political career, S. Javaid Anwar, is hosting an event for DeSantis and an event for Nikki Haley. That’s a sign that some major donors are keeping their options open for now. Some of the donors supported Trump in 2016 and/or 2020. Harold Hamm is one. He founded Continental Resources. He backed Trump in 2016 and 2020. Trump considered appointing him as energy secretary. Others who are hosting events in Texas gave at least six figures to Trump’s 2020 reelection effort.

DeSantis is off to a good start.

DeSantis has been a friend to Texas and that has, no doubt, been noticed. He responded very generously to Governor Abbott’s call for help from his fellow governors in securing the southern border. Some Republican governors have answered the call and DeSantis was among the first to do so.

He raised record amounts of money for Houston and Dallas Republicans earlier this year as the featured speaker during their annual fundraising dinners. DeSantis raised at least $1M for both Harris and Dallas County parties.

As DeSantis said today in South Carolina, “Leadership is about producing results.” The Republican bench is loaded with candidates who do just that.