A former top official in the Trump administration is throwing his support behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, urging him to challenge his former boss for the GOP nomination.
Ken Cuccinelli, the former acting deputy secretary of homeland security, announced the creation of a new political action committee aimed at pushing DeSantis to enter the primary field. The Never Back Down PAC is specifically geared toward elevating DeSantis, encouraging voters to sign a petition to urge the Florida governor to launch a presidential bid.
TRUMP FORMULATES FIVE-POINT PLAN TO ATTACK DESANTIS AHEAD OF BITTER PRIMARY CYCLE: REPORT
“I have been speaking to many grassroots conservative activists around the country who are very enthusiastic for Gov. DeSantis to run for president in 2024,” Cuccinelli said in a statement. “The energy is there, grassroots conservatives see the governor as a leader and a fighter with a winning conservative track record who will lead the Republican Party to victory in 2024. Based on those conversations, I am most confident that we will build an unmatched grassroots political army for Gov. DeSantis to help carry him to the White House.”
DeSantis has not yet indicated whether he will run for president in 2024, but the Florida governor is considered to be a top contender for the GOP nomination. Should he run, he is expected to pose the greatest challenge to former President Donald Trump, who is mounting a bid for a second White House term.
Cuccinelli touted DeSantis’s accomplishments as governor, painting him as a strong conservative candidate on issues such as abortion, immigration, and education.
“America’s future is Ron DeSantis. Ron DeSantis doesn’t just talk, he acts, but most of all, he never backs down,” the former Trump official said. “Gov. DeSantis, today I’m asking you to run for president. You’ve had our back now we will have yours.”
The creation of the political action committee helps set the stage for what is likely to be a bitter campaign cycle, with Trump expected not to pull his punches as he prepares to face a crowded field of challengers.
As Trump ramps up his third White House bid, the former president is reportedly crafting a five-point attack plan to erode Republicans’ confidence in DeSantis as a way to weaken who is likely to be his toughest primary opponent. The strategy aims to deter DeSantis from launching a White House bid or at least tarnish his standing should he enter the candidate pool, according to Axios.
DeSantis has brushed off Trump’s attacks in recent weeks, dismissing them as “background noise” as he mulls a presidential campaign.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“He used to say how great of a governor I was,” DeSantis told Fox News earlier this month. “And then I win a big victory, and all of a sudden, you know, he had different opinions. And so you could take that for what it’s worth.”
Trump holds an early lead over his possible GOP challengers, according to early polling. A majority of Republican voters, 55%, said they would back Trump in the GOP primary compared to 25% who said they would vote for DeSantis, per a recent poll from Emerson College.
