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One evening in February, Ron DeSantis quietly slipped into the luxurious Charleston Place Hotel in South Carolina.

Over dinner, the Florida governor addressed an audience of deep-pocketed donors convened by the influential Bradley Foundation, an organization that funnels cash to right-leaning nonprofit groups. DeSantis, whose attendance has not been previously reported, held forth for nearly an hour, detailing the anti-lockdown approach to the coronavirus pandemic that’s turned him into a conservative hero and propelled him to the upper echelon of potential 2024 GOP hopefuls.

Art Pope, a longtime conservative benefactor who chairs the foundation, said his early favorite was former Vice President Mike Pence, who also addressed the conference. But he added that DeSantis had done an “excellent job” as governor and had been well-received by attendees.

“He’s in the top tier, should he choose to run for president,” Pope said.