Alarm bells for DeSantis, Pence falls behind and Biden stays frugal: Takeaways from new campaign finance reports

The first full financial look at the 2024 presidential race came into focus over the weekend as candidates filed campaign finance reports with federal regulators. They highlight potential trouble spots for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a skeletal campaign operation for the current White House occupant and a wide chasm between the early fundraising leaders in the Republican primary and the rest of the field.

The filings also show at-risk Senate Democrats continuing to amass big sums as they scramble to defend their party's narrow majority next fall. Republican freshmen in competitive House seats, meanwhile, demonstrated a strong start.

Here are takeaways from the second-quarter fundraising reports for the three months ending June 30.

The Florida governor raised $20 million - a strong total - but his campaign is burning through cash at a rapid rate, spending nearly $8 million since he entered the contest in late May, according to its filing Saturday with the Federal Election Commission.

Travel and payroll expenses each topped $1 million, and more than $800,000 went to digital fundraising consulting, according to the campaign's report. As of the end of June, DeSantis employed 90 people, compared to nearly 40 people employed by the campaign of former President Donald Trump, the current GOP primary front-runner.

On Saturday, a DeSantis campaign aide confirmed that the team had recently trimmed some staff.

"Defeating Joe Biden and the $72 million behind him will require a nimble and candidate driven campaign, and we are building a movement to go the distance," campaign spokesperson Andrew Romeo said in a statement.