The book-tour presidential campaign of Ben Carson limps along, even as his campaign chairman floated stories of a frightening quid pro quo that could effect Florida Republican voters.

In exchange for getting out of the race, Carson campaign chairman Bob Dees contends unnamed “billionaires” promised support for Carson pursuing the GOP Senate nomination from Florida.

“That’s been very tangible. It’s been several … two groups of billionaire types of folks that have pressured him,” Dees told the Washington Examiner Tuesday.

“People that drive super PAC activity and other endeavors and there was even discussion of a, well, we can help with the Florida [U.S.] Senate seat if he’ll just agree to do what we’d like you to do or support our guy, drop out, etc,” Dees said.

Such “help” likely would come as a surprise to David Jolly, Ron DeSantis, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Todd Wilcox, and Carlos Beruff, and their supporters and staff.