DeSantis PAC Begins Layoffs, Pares Down

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By    |   Wednesday, 17 January 2024 03:39 PM EST ET

A super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has begun laying off workers as the Republican presidential candidate shifts his focus to South Carolina.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that the DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down was "evaluating and paring down" some consultants, vendors, and staff members, according to a group official. The scope of the layoffs was unclear.

Politico reported that Scott Wagner, Never Back Down's chief executive, issued a statement saying that the group continued to host events for DeSantis, but he did not address the question of layoffs.

DeSantis is shifting his attention to South Carolina and essentially bypassing New Hampshire as he tries to build on a second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses.

The Florida governor finished 30 points behind former President Donald Trump in Monday's Iowa GOP caucuses, which kicked off the 2024 presidential primary season.

The New Hampshire primary is scheduled for Tuesday, followed by the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24.

Trump leads former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley 50%-34%, according to Suffolk University/NBC 10 Boston/Boston Globe poll results released Wednesday.

DeSantis has only 5% support in New Hampshire, according to the poll.

CBS News, citing a senior DeSantis official, said the governor would leave New Hampshire after two events on Wednesday.

The media outlet said DeSantis on Friday will attend a ceremony for Florida Supreme Court Justice Meredith Sasso, whom DeSantis appointed in May. He then will then attend campaign events in South Carolina on Saturday and Sunday.

The DeSantis' campaign aims to put pressure on Haley to win her home state.

"When Nikki Haley fails to win her home state, she'll be finished and this will be a two-person race — and her donors are starting to come to the same conclusion," a senior DeSantis campaign official told CBS News, referencing CNBC reporting about pressure from Haley's donors.

"While they continue to have buyers' remorse over backing a Bubble Wrapped candidate who can't beat Trump, we're wasting no time in taking the fight directly to Haley on her home turf."

After the Iowa caucuses on Monday night, DeSantis flew directly to South Carolina, rather than going straight to New Hampshire, as is tradition.

"She was governor here for six years. Can you name major achievements under her tenure? I mean, tell me if there are, because she hasn't been able to do it" he said of Haley at a campaign stop in Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday.

Trump is ahead of both DeSantis and Haley by a wide margin in South Carolina, with polling averages showing him with nearly 55% support compared with Haley at almost 25% and DeSantis at 12%.

Reuters contributed to this story.

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A super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has begun laying off workers as the Republican presidential candidate shifts his focus to South Carolina.
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