Trump wins Florida primary, as Haley outpaces DeSantis
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Former President Donald Trump won Florida's Republican primary, the AP projected soon after polls closed statewide on Tuesday, though his margin trailed behind his 2020 win.
Why it matters: Trump's win in a state that's backed him before is not surprising. But over 146,000 Republicans — about 14% — weren't sold, siding with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
- Trump won the 2016 Republican primary in Florida with about 46% of the vote, defeating U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. He secured 94% of the vote in 2020.
The big picture: Gov. Ron DeSantis came in third behind Haley, a humbling blow in the state he governs and built his failed presidential campaign around.
- His roughly 4% support casts doubt on his vitality should he run again.
Reality check: DeSantis endorsed Trump when he exited the race; Haley didn't. His campaign believed that most of his supporters would pick Trump over Haley — whom he called "the old Republican guard of yesteryear."
Follow the money: DeSantis collected nearly $15 million from large donors in Florida for his campaign, twice the amount Trump received from Sunshine State donors giving $200 or more.
- Haley, meanwhile, raised $4.9 million.
