A spokesman for a super PAC supporting Ron DeSantis has left the official position, though he’s still backing the Florida Governor’s 2024 presidential bid.
As first reported by Maggie Haberman, Never Back Down spokesman Steve Cortes has moved on from the political action committee, with which he linked up back in May.
In an op-ed published by Newsweek, Cortes called DeSantis “the best possible option to win the presidency in 2024 and to govern as a highly capable, patriotic populist leader.”
His most memorable moment may have been a Twitter space earlier this year where he praised the Donald Trump campaign and suggested DeSantis was way behind the former President.
“To that point of the Primaries too, because I think this is important. Look, right now in national polling, we are way behind. I’ll be the first to admit that. OK?” Cortes said in July. “It’s an uphill battle. I don’t think it’s an unwinnable battle by any stretch, OK? But clearly Donald Trump is the runaway front-runner, particularly since the indictments.”
Cortes said the campaign was “down double digits” with “work to do” and “wood to chop.” In the three months since, however, the Governor has lost ground in polls, finding himself eclipsed by not just Trump but also Nikki Haley in South Carolina and New Hampshire surveys.
The former spokesman also expressed doubt that DeSantis could match up with Trump in debates, an irony given that the former President has skipped both nationally televised forums so far. He called Trump the “maestro” of debates, saying Trump “debates like Jack Nicklaus plays golf,” and acknowledging that would present a challenge to DeSantis.
“Is Ron the debater that Donald Trump is? No, he isn’t,” Cortes said, adding that increased “reps” are making DeSantis “better and better” at “succeeding on his feet,” preparing him to go “toe to toe” with Trump.
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