DeSantis-aligned PAC paints Florida governor as Trump’s successor
Cami Mondeaux
Video Embed
A super PAC supporting Ron DeSantis for the GOP presidential nomination released its latest campaign ad this week seeking to position the Florida governor as the successor to former President Donald Trump and the future of the Republican Party.
The minute-long ad, released by the Never Back Down PAC, features several clips of speeches given by DeSantis while touting his legislative record as governor over the last four years. The ad is set to begin airing on Monday and will target voters in the first four GOP primary states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada.
DESANTIS DOMINATES CASH CONTEST BUT COULD FACE PROBLEMS SPENDING WHEN CAMPAIGN STARTS
The seven-figure ad titled “Winner” seeks to paint DeSantis as the apparent heir to Trump, showcasing newspaper headlines showing the governor’s wins in 2018 and 2022 hanging on a wall next to Trump’s win in 2016. Later in the ad, the video shows a clip of a man replacing a “Trump 2016” bumper sticker with one that reads “DeSantis for president.”
Although DeSantis has not yet announced whether he intends to run for president, the Florida governor is widely expected to do so in the coming months. Should he choose to run, DeSantis is considered to be the top challenger to Trump as he seeks a return to the White House.
More than half (51%) of Republican voters say they’d back Trump compared to just 38% who said they’d vote for DeSantis, giving the former president a substantial lead over his closest rival, according to a recent poll from the Wall Street Journal. However, DeSantis dominates the field when it comes to campaign cash, far outraising his possible opponents for the GOP nomination.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Meanwhile, Trump has benefited from a number of high-profile endorsements. More than 50 Republican House members have endorsed Trump for the GOP nomination compared to just three for DeSantis. Among those, 10 Republican House members from DeSantis’s home turf in Florida have offered their support to Trump over the state’s governor.
DeSantis has ramped up efforts to establish a national standing before deciding whether to run for president, as the Republican governor has scheduled meetings with several members of Congress in Washington over the last week. However, that plan seemed to backfire in some cases after a handful of GOP members publicly endorsed Trump just hours after meeting with DeSantis.