Turmoil grips DeSantis' pro-PAC, casting a shadow on Florida governor's crucial White House campaign
Florida Gov Ron DeSantis faces mounting challenges as turmoil engulfs his pro-DeSantis super PAC, casting a shadow over his White House aspirations Recent clashes between his campaign and the PAC have added to the confusion, creating a critical moment for his presidential bid
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had just left a celebration in Iowa marking the end of his 99-county tour when news broke of turmoil within the team working to elect him president. The super PAC supporting his bid let go three senior staffers, causing shockwaves through DeSantis' political operation. The sudden departures came as a surprise to many involved and were seen as distracting to the overall effort.
Ellie Mooney, a 44-year-old resident of New Hampshire, adds her signature to the campaign bus of Republican presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis following a Never Back Down campaign event in Keene, New Hampshire, U.S., on November 21, 2023. REUTERS/Sophie Park
Sophie Park/Reuters
Pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down parts with CEO of 9 days, two others, in latest shake-up
On that day, one of the fired operatives was seen at a super PAC event in Sioux City, Iowa, where DeSantis was featured.
The ongoing chaos once again cast a shadow over DeSantis' candidacy, just six weeks before the Iowa caucuses, jeopardizing one of his main selling points: his capacity to govern without the constant drama and chaos that characterized former President Donald Trump's tenure. The following day, he portrayed himself as a focused and disciplined candidate, making no mention of the political upheaval happening behind the scenes.
"I am not concerned with their opinions about me, the criticism they direct towards me, or any other negative remarks," DeSantis reassured voters on Sunday. "This is not about me, but about you."
The developments over the weekend have resurfaced lingering doubts about DeSantis' choice to entrust an outside organization with his campaign. Known for his mistrustful nature and small inner circle of advisers, this decision has raised questions. As the Iowa caucuses approach, DeSantis' inexperienced loyalists have taken on increased responsibility for his political campaign.
DeSantis and his team have consistently minimized the significant staff changes that have affected his campaign and super PAC since the summer. According to deputy campaign manager David Polyansky, "The combined strength of Team DeSantis is unparalleled."
Polyansky also stated, "Never Back Down has a strong field operation and ground game. In collaboration with their independent effort, we achieved a milestone by reaching all 99 Iowa counties this weekend and are poised to succeed with the most extensive turnout operation in modern Iowa history."
Kristin Davison, the mastermind behind that field operation, was one of the individuals released from the super PAC on Saturday. She had only been serving as interim CEO for two weeks, taking over from another high-ranking executive who abruptly resigned, after previously holding the position of chief operating officer.
Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt speaks at an election night party in Las Vegas on November 8, 2022.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Another prominent departure occurred as Adam Laxalt, a longtime friend of DeSantis in the political arena, recently resigned as chairman of the super PAC's board.
A DeSantis campaign insider dismissed the departures, stating "This is inconsequential."
Despite being surprised by the changes, many within the super PAC still believe that Never Back Down is well positioned to fulfill its mission.
Upheaval comes after long confusion between campaign and super PAC
There is scant evidence to suggest that the ongoing turmoil has affected Republican voters and caucusgoers, who generally do not closely follow the intricacies of campaigns like reporters and political operatives. In fact, the incident was not brought up in discussions with a dozen Iowa Republicans on Sunday.
There is hardly any previous instance of a campaign experiencing such a high level of personnel turnover, except for Trump's tumultuous 2016 White House bid. The strained relationship between the super PAC and the campaign, which are not allowed to coordinate, has been a constant distraction ever since DeSantis' former state political committee provided $83 million to the Never Back Down super PAC from his 2022 reelection campaign in Florida.
During one significant conflict last summer, the super PAC released suggested talking points for DeSantis before the first debate, prompting an angry response from the governor's team. More recently, several individuals close to DeSantis have established a second super PAC, Fight Right Inc., after the governor expressed dissatisfaction with Never Back Down's advertisements in Iowa.
On December 1, 2023, in Prosperty, South Carolina, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed an event for his GOP presidential campaign while his wife Casey DeSantis looked on.
Meg Kinnard/AP
DeSantis, all-in on Iowa, finishes 99-county tour where he started: Far behind Trump in a critical state
Never Back Down initially took on responsibilities typically handled by political campaigns, such as training staff, recruiting volunteers, and canvassing for support. As DeSantis' political operation faced financial challenges, the super PAC took on additional tasks, including planning travel, hosting events, and running television ads. Despite the unexpected workload, super PAC officials touted their efforts as groundbreaking and predicted it would revolutionize future presidential elections to donors.
Outsiders are not impressed.
The arrangement will be remembered for "making history by spending the money they had at the beginning," said a veteran Republican fundraiser who spoke to CNN anonymously. This individual was previously hopeful about DeSantis but has had long-standing concerns about the Florida Republican's circle of advisors, going back to his time in Congress.
"The fundraiser expressed disappointment in the entire group of misfits who have compromised DeSantis's prospects of becoming the alternative to Trump," stated the fundraiser.
A Republican consultant in Nevada, where Never Back Down initially made a move before withdrawing, disclosed that GOP operatives nationwide have been skeptical of the organization's outreach numbers, believing that hiring hundreds of people to canvass and knock doors would inevitably result in fraud. In July, The Washington Post revealed that a paid canvasser admitted to being "a little stoned" and made inappropriate comments about a homeowner while going door-to-door for Never Back Down.
"Its the dumbest strategy Ive ever seen," the Nevada consultant said. "Theyre a laughingstock."
Jess Szymanski, a spokeswoman for the super PAC, dismissed the outside criticism.
"Never Back Down has developed the most efficient and advanced caucus operation of all the candidates in the 2024 primary field," she stated. "We are committed to maintaining this excellent work in order to support the election of Governor DeSantis as the next President of the United States."
However, the clash and growing disarray between the DeSantis campaign and its initial super PAC became more evident on Sunday afternoon in Iowa. While the governor addressed supporters inside a coffee shop in Eldridge, two red and blue tour buses bearing DeSantis' name were parked just outside.
The campaign bus, emblazoned with the message "fight, win, lead," parked just a few steps from the Never Back Down bus, which bore the same slogan. It was a striking scene, with two sizable buses representing a single struggling candidate.
Despite months of exposure to ads and mailers from the super PAC, voters appeared oblivious - and unconcerned - about the duplicate messaging. However, the gathering at Cody Road Coffee brought attention to a pressing question for DeSantis: Do the dueling groups, now embroiled in drama, uplift or complicate his presidential aspirations?
Even the most knowledgeable Republican voters in Iowa, many of whom have been part of caucus campaigns for years, often expressed confusion at the rift between the DeSantis campaign and the Never Back Down organization. It became evident on May 30, when DeSantis arrived in the state as an official candidate and addressed an overflowing crowd at the auditorium of Eternity Church in Clive. Afterwards, as attendees made their way to their cars, they passed a white tour bus labeled "Join Team DeSantis for President," while a team of staff members carrying clipboards spread out to ask Iowans to sign a card pledging their support.
The older woman inquired the young aide if he was part of the campaign, and he responded, "We're here to support Gov. DeSantis." She looked kindly confused and mentioned that it was too early to sign a support card.
Loren Reit, a city councilman from Spencer near the Iowa-South Dakota border, nearly missed an August appearance by DeSantis in his area. He had ignored a text message from an organization called "Never Back Down" inviting him to see DeSantis, as he wasn't familiar with the group. After checking with city officials who were unaware of any candidates coming to town, he admitted, "I wasn't sure it was legit."
Reit found out about the event from a friend and decided to attend without an invitation. He was surprised to see DeSantis speaking in a small community college classroom, with three "Never Back Down" posters on the wall. DeSantis appeared uncertain about what to say to the group and suggested answering questions or delivering a speech. The audience encouraged him to give a speech.
Later, Reit joked that the event was the city's "best-kept secret," but also noted that there was other evidence showing that the ground game for DeSantis had reached his far corner of the state.
"We found their cards in our door," he mentioned. "That's quite early."
However, as summer transitioned to fall and television ads from Never Back Down inundated the airwaves, DeSantis demonstrated minimal progress in surpassing or becoming the primary alternative to Trump. Within Republican political circles in Iowa, the acronym NBD became a source of mockery.
"Whats NBD mean, No Big Deal?" a longtime Republican official in Iowa said.
