GOP Super PAC Ad Swaps DeSantis for Trump in ’24

A television ad by the Never Back Down PAC airing in several early GOP 2024 primary states supplants former President Donald Trump as the Republican Party’s leader with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, although he has not yet announced that he will run.

ABC News reported that the minute-long advertisement touting DeSantis was placed in the states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. It is due to run on cable and nationally.

“Gov. Ron DeSantis is proven winner; he has never lost an election or a fight. And if Republicans want to win the White House in 2024, Gov. DeSantis is the best chance to do that,” Never Back Down communications director Erin Perrine told ABC News. “The future is now, and his name is Gov. Ron DeSantis.”

According to the report, the PAC has raised $30 million since March.

The ad, titled “Winning,” highlights DeSantis’ accomplishments and victories running the Sunshine State and his 20-point reelection victory in November, culminating with a Trump supporter placing a “DeSantis for President 2024” bumper sticker over a “Trump for President 2016” sticker.

The political website FiveThirtyEight, which is owned by ABC News, has Trump currently leading DeSantis in a potential GOP primary by an average of around 27 points throughout seven different polls, 51.1% to 23.8%.

Sources told ABC News DeSantis is expected to launch an exploratory committee sometime in June following the end of the Florida legislative session.

The Hill reported, however, that DeSantis said reporting on his future was “inaccurate” and he has not made any plans for a possible campaign launch.

The Florida governor also cleared a major hurdle in the potential presidential run this week after the Republican-majority state Legislature passed a bill that carves out an exception for elected state officials to run for president or vice president without having to resign their current seat, The Hill reported in a separate story.

The bill now goes to DeSantis to sign into law, with the carve-out taking immediate effect, allowing him to stay in office while pursuing the Oval Office, the report said.

According to The Hill, the Never Back Down super PAC was formed by former senior Trump adviser Ken Cuccinelli to draft DeSantis into the 2024 race.

The PAC put out another ad earlier in the month criticizing Trump for supporting some gun control measures, the report said.