Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign has hit a major setback as the embattled super PAC supporting him, Never Back Down, has canceled all of its planned television advertising in Iowa and New Hampshire just weeks before voting begins in the first nominating states.
This surprising move, first reported by AdImpact, a firm that tracks political campaign advertising, was later confirmed by Never Back Down. In a statement, Scott Wagner, the super PAC’s chairman, said the decision was part of a shift allowing the organization to focus on grass-roots activities in the early states while a newly created super PAC backing DeSantis, Fight Right, airs television ads.
This change marks a complete reversal for the once deep-pocketed pro-DeSantis operation, which had previously spent heavily on television advertising in the spring and summer. However, with the rise of former ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, in the polls and internal issues within the organization, Never Back Down has struggled to maintain its support for DeSantis.
The disarray within Never Back Down was further highlighted after key architect, Jeff Roe, announced his resignation, citing troubles within the organization. This has led to speculation about DeSantis’s diminishing presence in the race and has sparked a war of words between the different campaign teams.
As this situation unfolds, the landscape of the Republican presidential race is evolving rapidly, with competing super PACs and campaigns engaging in aggressive ad buys and strategy shifts. The outcome of these developments remains to be seen as the race heats up in the coming weeks.