A pro-DeSantis Super PAC is firing back at Donald Trump, asking why he is calling out the Florida Republican governor when it is Democrats who are currently trying to destroy his political career.
The ad, from a group known as ‘Never Back Down’, is one of the first trying to add a little fight to Governor DeSantis as he has taken a barrage of effective attacks from Trump in the past few months.
The ad is titled, “Fight Democrats, Not Republicans,” and recently appeared on “Fox News Sunday.”
“Donald Trump is being attacked by a Democrat prosecutor in New York. So why is he spending millions attacking the Republican governor of Florida?” the ad asks.
The narrator also accuses the former President of “stealing pages from the Biden-Pelosi playbook” by “repeating lies about Social Security.”
Donald Trump is being attacked by a Democrat prosecutor in New York.
So why is he spending millions attacking the Republican Governor of Florida with lies about Social Security from the Biden-Pelosi playbook? pic.twitter.com/xeyi5F4jmj
— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) April 16, 2023
The pro-DeSantis Super PAC ad counters claims from a Trump Super PAC that the Florida governor is seeking to cut Social Security, suggesting that it’s actually Trump seeking to cut entitlements, and advises the GOP frontrunner to focus on Democrats.
“Trump should fight Democrats,” the screen reads, “not lie about Governor Ron DeSantis.”
The ad also suggests Trump is a mere shell of his former self and not the anti-Democrat warrior he has been in the past.
“What happened to Donald Trump?” they ask.
The fact that the ads very first mention is a reference to Trump’s legal woes is a shot across the bow and an indication from the pro-DeSantis group that their message will be that the former President has, perhaps, too many other issues to contend with to focus on a White House run.
🚨NEW @axios! pro-@GovRonDeSantis super PAC, @NvrBackDown24, first TV ad: "What HAPPENED to Donald Trump?"
"Donald Trump is being attacked by a Democrat prosecutor in New York. So why is he spending millions attacking the Republican governor of Florida?" https://t.co/OadiTT2Qop
— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) April 16, 2023
The pro-DeSantis Super PAC effort comes just days after a Trump-aligned Super PAC released a wild ad attacking the Florida Governor and his “pudding fingers.”
That ad referenced unsubstantiated rumors from former staffers that claim DeSantis once ate pudding using just three fingers.
“DeSantis has his dirty fingers all over senior entitlements, like cutting Medicare, slashing Social Security, and even raising our retirement age,” the narrator in the ad contends. “Tell Ron DeSantis to keep his pudding fingers off our money.”
Trump airs disgusting ad featuring Ron DeSantis eating pudding with his fingers. pic.twitter.com/QWAPI21AjU
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) April 14, 2023
Despite the pro-DeSantis Super PAC’s swipe at Trump’s legal issues, Ron DeSantis vociferously criticized the Manhattan District Attorney’s indictment of Trump, calling it “un-American.”
“The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head,” he said in a statement.
The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head.
It is un-American.
The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 30, 2023
At one point, however, DeSantis teased Trump that he can’t relate to his criminal case because he “(does not) know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star.”
BREAKING: Gov. DeSantis responds to Trump possibly being indicted.
"I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair..." but says Alvin Bragg is a Soros-backed DA who is going after Trump for political reasons. pic.twitter.com/M0JiQP3KVb
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) March 20, 2023
The pro-DeSantis Super PAC going on the offensive marks an escalation of the feud between him and Trump.
Trump consistently leads DeSantis in polls by a wide margin as Republican voters’ choice for the GOP nomination to take on President Biden. DeSantis though has not officially announced he will be running in 2024.
A recent report by NBC News indicates Republican donors are growing skeptical as to whether or not DeSantis is ready to take on Trump in 2024. Some have suggested he wait until 2028 to make a run for the White House.