The CEO of DeSantis’ super PAC has stepped down from their position.
Chris Jankowski, the CEO of the primary super PAC supporting the presidential campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has stepped down. Jankowski stated to CBS News that he submitted a resignation to the board of Never Back Down PAC and it is now in effect.
The New York Times was the first to report Jankowski’s resignation.
He resigned amidst rumors of conflict between the PAC and DeSantis’ campaign team. The most recent issue arose when attack ads on former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, funded by the PAC, ended up hurting DeSantis’ standing in polls, as reported by NBC News.
Consistently, the polls have shown that Haley and the current president, Donald Trump, are in a close race for second place.
According to a statement given to CBS News, Jankowski stated that the primary objective of Never Back Down is to support Governor Ron DeSantis in his bid for the presidency. However, due to the current circumstances, it is no longer feasible for him to work towards this goal, as there are larger issues at play beyond differing strategies.
“I hope and pray for Ron DeSantis to become the 47th president of our country,” he expressed.
In the past, super PACs have been used to broadcast TV ads for a candidate since they are not bound by federal restrictions on collecting donations. However, laws for federal elections prevent direct cooperation between a super PAC and the campaign.
Never Back Down has had an outsized role in DeSantis’ campaign operations, often hosting him as a “special guest” on its bus tour for events and running a grassroots door-knocking operation in support of him in the early states.
However, in reaction to the conflicts within the PAC regarding its tactics, a fresh external organization called Fight Right was formed by three supporters of the governor from Florida. This group has recently spent approximately $1 million on advertisements in Iowa through AdImpact and the Federal Election Commission to criticize Haley.
Fin Gómez
Source: cbsnews.com