In a memo from the super PAC Never Back Down, first reported by The New York Times, DeSantis is advised to “hammer” entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and defend former President Donald Trump if he is attacked by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. It also included tips for how many times to attack President Joe Biden and the media.
One person close to DeSantis’ political operation was surprised a person at Never Back Down would even write a memo or think it was appropriate to give the campaign advice just a week out from the debate. The response this person received from Republican donors on Thursday was “a chorus of people who think it was dumb,” they said.
It’s not uncommon for super PACs to find public ways around federal regulations that prohibit direct coordination with a campaign. But the directness of the memo coupled with the breadth of information posted publicly on Axiom’s website drew criticism from those working to help get DeSantis elected.