Major DeSantis PAC Laying Off Staff
In a bold move reflective of the rapidly shifting dynamics of the 2024 Republican presidential race, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is recalibrating his campaign strategy. His super PAC, Never Back Down, has commenced layoffs, underscoring a pivot in focus toward South Carolina over New Hampshire.
This strategic shift comes after a considerable 30-point second-place finish behind President Donald Trump in the Iowa GOP caucuses, signaling a need for reevaluation. The New York Times highlights this recalibration as an “evaluating and paring down” of consultants, vendors and staff. DeSantis now faces the reality of his situation in adapting to the dynamics of the primary season.
While the extent of the layoffs remains unspecified, the reorientation of resources suggests a concentrated effort on South Carolina, where DeSantis’s conservative message might resonate more powerfully. This approach is evident in DeSantis’s campaign decision to bypass traditional routes, choosing direct engagement in South Carolina over New Hampshire’s upcoming primary.
DeSantis’s rival in the race for a distant second place, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, now faces heightened pressure in her home state. DeSantis’s campaign, as quoted by CBS News, is keenly aware of the strategic advantage in South Carolina: “When Nikki Haley fails to win her home state, she’ll be finished and this will be a two-person race.”
This move is not just a tactical retreat from New Hampshire but a calculated advance to a state more aligned with DeSantis’s staunch conservative stance. Despite trailing significantly behind Trump in South Carolina polls, DeSantis’s campaign remains undeterred, perceiving this as a critical battleground to consolidate conservative support and challenge the frontrunner’s lead.
As reported by a senior campaign official, the strategic redeployment of campaign staff to South Carolina indicates DeSantis’s commitment to a strategy that leverages his conservative appeal in states more receptive to his political ethos. His campaign’s shift, notably framing this decision as a direct challenge to Haley, signifies an intense intra-party contest shaping up in the Republican primaries.
While Trump continues to lead in South Carolina, the dynamics of this primary season are fluid. DeSantis’s recalibration, though a response to initial setbacks, reflects a nimble and responsive campaign strategy, attuned to the changing contours of voter sentiment within the Republican base.
This realignment, however, has its challenges. The immediate suspension of email accounts for those laid off from Never Back Down hints at a sudden and significant operational shift. The super PAC’s chief executive, Scott Wagner, reaffirmed their commitment to hosting events for DeSantis but remained silent on the layoffs.
