Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continues his presidential campaign in Utah yet again.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visits Utah to boost struggling presidential campaign.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is set to make his second visit to Utah in just three months, aiming to gain both financial support and political backing for his struggling 2024 presidential campaign. During his previous visit, DeSantis referred to Florida as the "Utah of the Southeast" while delivering the keynote address at the Utah Republican Party State Convention in April. This time, his focus will be on fundraising and securing support from Republican lawmakers at an event taking place at the Utah State Capitol.

DeSantis's decision to visit Utah comes at a critical time for his campaign, which appears to be facing challenges. Recent reports suggest that his campaign has experienced financial difficulties, leading to the termination of over a dozen staff members. Additionally, DeSantis is currently trailing in the polls, with former President Donald Trump enjoying a significant lead of over 30 points among Republican voters nationwide.

State Senator Todd Weiler, a Republican from Woods Cross, plans to publicly endorse DeSantis for president during the event on Friday. Weiler believes that DeSantis has the best chance of defeating President Joe Biden in the upcoming election, citing shared core values and a potential for victory as his reasons for supporting the Florida Governor. Despite DeSantis's current struggles, Weiler remains optimistic, drawing a comparison to the 2016 presidential race when Donald Trump, initially in seventh place, emerged as the Republican nominee.

A statewide poll conducted in April by Noble Predictive Insights revealed that Trump holds a significant lead over DeSantis in a hypothetical presidential primary matchup in Utah, with 41% of respondents favoring Trump compared to 23% for DeSantis. Weiler did not disclose whether he would throw his support behind Trump if he were to secure the GOP nomination for a third time.

House Majority Leader Mike Schultz, a Republican from Hooper, expressed excitement about the presence of presidential candidates in Utah and anticipates that more Republicans will visit the state, given that Utah is one of 15 states holding presidential nominating contests on Super Tuesday. However, Schultz has not yet endorsed DeSantis's candidacy.

In terms of fundraising, DeSantis has received the most financial support from Utah among all the 2024 presidential hopefuls. Since officially launching his campaign in May, he has accumulated over $113,000 in donations from the state. This amount is expected to increase further during his visit to Utah.

Senate President Stuart Adams, a Republican from Layton, is hosting a high-dollar fundraising event called the "Pioneer Day Barbecue" for DeSantis in Pleasant Grove on Friday evening. Attendees are required to make a $1,000 donation, with a VIP option available for $6,600 individually or $13,200 per couple.

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