Ron DeSantis PAC leaders clash and nearly come to blows as Internet shakes its head at the drama
MIAMI, FLORIDA: The top members of Ron DeSantis' Never Back Down super PAC reportedly held a private meeting on Tuesday, November 21 to devise a strategy of action against Nikki Haley's surge in the polls
But the secret meeting nearly descended into a brawl when some advisers turned on each other, according to a report from NBC News.
Sources revealed that a small group of nine board members and senior staff members were debating budgets when Jeff Roe, the super PAC's chief consultant, got into a furious altercation with conservative DeSantis ally Scott Wagner.
“You have a stick up your a**, Scott," apparently said Roe to Wagner, who is allegedly a member of the Never Back Down board.
Wagner responded, "Why don’t you come over here and get it?", rising from his chair. However, he was immediately restrained by two other board members.
Following the meeting, three close DeSantis associates supposedly established Fight Right Inc, a second super PAC supporting the governor of Florida.
The tension between Never Back Down's board and Ron DeSantis’ inner circle
The brewing dispute is the latest chapter of the long-running conflict between Ron DeSantis' inner circle in Tallahassee and the Never Back Down’s leaders over who is to blame for the governor's inability to effectively challenge front-runner Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.
A source told NBC that DeSantis, his spouse, and other well-known campaign figures had grown weary of what they perceived as a lack of effectiveness from Never Back Down's leadership, which had allowed Nikki Haley to gain a substantial advantage in the run-up to the primaries.
Now, the new Fight Right PAC has majorly been founded to tackle DeSantis' Haley issue in a manner that Never Back Down failed to achieve. In Iowa, the PAC has already started airing advertisements that draw comparisons between Haley and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The commercials supposedly suggest that "Crooked Hillary" is a "role model" for the former governor of South Carolina and ambassador to the United Nations.
DeSantis' team touted Never Back Down as a significant ally and Fight Right Inc as a welcome entrant into the 2024 political race.
"We are excited to see even more backers stepping up to support Ron DeSantis’ candidacy," said DeSantis campaign Communications Director Andrew Romeo.
He continued, "We’ve already seen tremendous value in the support of groups like Never Back Down, and adding new allies to the mix to independently help spread the governor’s message will only strengthen our advantage in the important weeks and months ahead,"
Internet reacts to clash among Ron DeSantis' PAC members
Soon after the news of the supposed infighting among Ron DeSantis' PAC members came to light, netizens were quick to respond with their views on the situation.
One wrote, "DeSantis has that effect on people," while another said, "Desperate times. The party is dead. True Conservatives need a comeback."
A person stated, "Never Back Down should change its name to 'Never Back DeSantis'." "The clown show just keeps going, and going. 😂😅😅😆," added someone else.
"They do eat their own," quipped a netizen, as one more expressed, "Super PACS should be banned."