With the 2024 US Presidential election looming, potential candidates are beginning to emerge.[0] One of the most prominent figures being discussed is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has been touring the country promoting his recently published political memoir and touting Florida as a blueprint for the country – a clear indication that he is preparing for a national campaign.[1] Although DeSantis has not made an official announcement, it is widely anticipated that he will join the competition for the Republican presidential nomination once the legislative session in Florida concludes in May.
A super PAC called “Never Back Down” has been launched by former Trump-era Department of Homeland Security senior official Ken Cuccinelli, who has been vocal in his support for a DeSantis presidential run.[2] The PAC has already raised $30 million since its launch on March 9th, and is expected to serve as the main fundraising vehicle for DeSantis’ presidential campaign.[1] Donations of infinite worth can be received by the PAC, and transfers from “Friends of Ron DeSantis.” his state political committee, are also possible.[3] That committee has $82.4 million cash on hand as of March 1st, according to the latest filing with Florida’s Division of Elections.[4]
DeSantis’ potential candidacy has attracted a strong group of Republican operatives to the Never Back Down PAC, including several who worked on Senator Ted Cruz’s 2016 campaign for president. The senior team includes David Polyansky, Cruz’s 2016 Iowa caucus guru and former chief of staff, and Chris Wilson, a top Cruz pollster who will run polling and analytics for the group.[5] Veteran GOP strategist Jeff Roe, who was campaign manager for Cruz’s 2016 presidential bid, is also joining the pro-DeSantis PAC.[6] Erin Perrine, who served as Cruz’s Senate communications director in 2021, will be handling communications for the DeSantis PAC; she also held a top communications role for Trump’s 2020 campaign for reelection.[6]
While DeSantis has not yet declared his candidacy, polls have shown that he is Trump’s strongest potential competitor for the GOP nomination in a field that’s still developing. Besides Trump, other declared candidates include Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.[1] However, the sheer firepower of the senior team behind the Never Back Down PAC suggests that the PAC will have a more expansive role in the 2024 campaign than past presidential super PACs, which have traditionally focused almost exclusively on television and digital advertising.[7]
According to Chris Jankowski, the executive director of the PAC, “Winning back the White House will take a leader unlike any this nation has seen, and that leader is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.[3] Never Back Down is the movement to get him there, and the team we’ve assembled is strong, with a depth of political experience to make history.[4] 2024 is not 2016 – it’s a new day in the Republican Party.[5]
0. “Heather Barker joining super PAC backing DeSantis 2024” Florida Politics, 29 Mar. 2023, https://floridapolitics.com/archives/599337-heather-barker-joins-super-pac-backing-desantis-2024
1. “Pro-DeSantis PAC has raised $30 million since launching last month, official says” msnNOW, 3 Apr. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/pro-desantis-pac-has-raised-30-million-since-launching-last-month-official-says/ar-AA19pKDh
2. “PAC for DeSantis signs agreement with Axiom Strategies, which has links to Alaska campaigns” Must Read Alaska, 29 Mar. 2023, https://mustreadalaska.com/pac-for-desantis-signs-agreement-with-axiom-strategies-which-has-links-to-alaska-campaigns
3. “Pro-DeSantis super PAC hires alumni from Trump, Glenn Youngkin, Ted Cruz campaigns” CBS News, 29 Mar. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/never-back-down-ron-desantis-super-pac-hires-donald-trump-glenn-youngkin-ted-cruz-campaigns
4. “Pro-DeSantis super PAC hires alumni from Trump, Youngkin, Cruz campaigns” Sand Hills Express, 28 Mar. 2023, https://sandhillsexpress.com/cbs_politics/prodesantis-super-pac-hires-alumni-from-trump-youngkin-cruz-campaigns-cbsid9d6cffe3/
5. “Ted Cruz’s 2016 Campaign Crew Is Backing DeSantis Over Trump” VICE, 29 Mar. 2023, https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvjx84/ted-cruz-campaign-team-backs-desantis
6. “Rep. Chip Roy says ‘talent seeks talent’ as Cruz alums side with DeSantis” NBC News, 29 Mar. 2023, https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/rep-chip-roy-says-talent-seeks-talent-cruz-alums-side-desantis-rcna77278
7. “Pro-DeSantis PAC hires senior team from Cruz, Trump, Youngkin campaigns” The Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/28/desantis-pac-team/
