Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican presidential candidate for 2024, engaged in a campaign event in Eagle Pass, Texas on June 26, 2023, where he interacted with residents in border-adjacent communities. The event was captured in a photograph by Suzanne Cordeiro of AFP, and it showcases DeSantis in action.
Recently, the main super PAC supporting DeSantis’ presidential campaign released and subsequently deleted a memo outlining a four-pronged strategy for the upcoming Republican primary debate. The New York Times was the first to report on this development. According to the document, which was also covered by NBC News, DeSantis is advised to defend former President Donald Trump from potential attacks by his opponents, assuming Trump decides not to participate in the Milwaukee debate. The memo also encourages DeSantis to criticize President Joe Biden and the media up to five times, aggressively confront GOP contender Vivek Ramaswamy, and articulate his “positive vision” two or three times. These goals are labeled as crucial in the memo.
The two-page memo was among several records publicly posted by Axiom Strategies, a firm led by Jeff Roe, a prominent advisor to the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down. Once The New York Times inquired about the debate-strategy memo, it was promptly removed from Axiom’s website.
However, other campaign research materials, including opposition research on Ramaswamy and pages outlining how DeSantis’ rivals might attack him during a debate, remain accessible on Axiom’s site.
In addition, there is a separate 10-page memo discussing former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has been a vocal critic of both Trump and DeSantis. The memo suggests that Christie may target DeSantis for not being openly hostile towards Trump. The now-deleted memo advising DeSantis on his debate objectives suggests that he should defend Trump’s absence in response to a Christie attack. It even provides a prepared response for DeSantis to use: “Trump isn’t here so let’s just leave him alone. He’s too weak to defend himself here. We’re all running against him.” The memo also proposes a line for DeSantis to potentially use against Christie: “I don’t think we want to join forces with someone on this stage who’s auditioning for a show on MSNBC.”
The super PAC’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
This memo highlights the delicate balance that DeSantis must strike as he aims to win the Republican primary without alienating Trump’s steadfast base of support. While Trump frequently criticizes DeSantis, the Florida governor has been hesitant to engage in similar attacks.
Despite these efforts, DeSantis has not yet experienced a surge in the polls. Recent national surveys show his support waning in the primary race, with Trump maintaining a commanding lead. It’s worth noting that Trump is currently facing 91 felony charges spread across four active criminal cases.
Additionally, Trump has indicated that he may not attend the first primary debate in Milwaukee, questioning the merit of allowing candidates with low poll numbers to ask him questions. Moreover, Trump has stated that he won’t commit to supporting the eventual party nominee, which is a requirement for participating in the debate according to the Republican National Committee.
For more details, you can read the full report from The New York Times.
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