Thursday, July 9, 2026
Vol. VIII
Est. 2019

The Mind Shield

News · Opinion · Politics · Analysis

Pro-DeSantis super PAC head steps down

Pro-DeSantis super PAC head steps down
Gov. Ron DeSantis arrives at a campaign event in Chariton, Iowa, July 27, 2023. The super PAC Never Back Down is covering much of the cost of his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. (Christopher Smith/The New York Times)

The leader of a super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presidential bid announced his resignation Wednesday.

“Never Back Down’s main goal and sole focus has been to elect Governor Ron DeSantis as President. Given the current environment it has become untenable for me to deliver on the shared goal and that goes well beyond a difference of strategic opinion,” Chris Jankowski, CEO of the Never Back Down super PAC, said in a statement, according to the New York Times.

Jankowski’s resignation comes amid reports of infighting among members over targeting Nikki Haley, who has been surging in the polls and appears to be garnering support as the leading alternative to Trump.

According to NBC News, several members of the pro-DeSantis group got into a heated argument during a budgeting discussion last week and things nearly turned physical.

DeSantis and his wife have also expressed frustration with Never Back Down and following last week’s argument, three close DeSantis allies launched a second super PAC called Fight Right Inc., in part at their urging, NBC News reports.

This infighting in DeSantis’ camp comes as he is failing to close the gap on Donald Trump in the Republican primary and is losing ground to Haley.

However, DeSantis did score a major endorsement this week from influential Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats.