HMM: Will Trump Save Florida GOP From Unprecedented Fundraising Failure?

Are disgruntled Florida Republican Party officials taking out their grudges on the state party’s fundraising efforts? That’s what it looks like if we are to believe reports that an annual fundraising dinner was canceled due to a lack of interest.

Discord within the state party looks to be coming from the lack of enthusiasm for newly hired Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) executive director Peter O’Rourke. O’Rourke isn’t well-known and trusted yet. Former executive director Jennifer Locetta was fired though she was both well-known and liked. O’Rourke was investigated for rampant abuses in the Department of Veterans Affairs whistleblower office, the office he previously ran. The grassroots are outraged. Governor DeSantis and RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters were caught off-guard by the bombshell findings of the investigation. The internal chaos is reported to be creating a lack of enthusiasm among party members and tickets sales to the 2019 Statesman’s Dinner, a major fundraiser in Orlando are non-existent. The dinner was canceled and rescheduled for December 7. Did the investigation report depress sales and interest? The organizers couldn’t even secure a keynote speaker.

GOP fundraising has been off the charts nationally, but, well, Florida is weird.