DeSantis’ super PAC leader secretly gushes over goal to tarnish Ramaswamy’s reputation: report

In an exclusive Sunday, September 3 report from Politico, reporter Alex Isenstadt reveals that "hours before the first GOP primary debate" on August 23, Florida governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis' Never Back Down super PAC chief admitted to a group of donors his efforts to tarnish biotech millionaire and GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign.

Politico reports:

Campaigns and allied super PACs often peddle opposition research on their opponents to the press in hopes of landing negative stories. But it is exceedingly rare that a top strategist is caught on a recording admitting as much. And Roe is no mere operative. Never Back Down has taken on a central role in trying to secure the nomination for DeSantis, spending tens of millions of dollars to support a major voter persuasion and advertising operation.

"Everything you read about him is from us," Jeff Roe, who leads DeSantis' Never Back Down super PAC said to donors. "Every misstatement, every 360 he’s conducting or 180 that he is going through in life, is from our scrutiny and pressure. And so, he’s not going to go through that very well, and that will get worse for him."

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The news outlet also notes:

Prior to the debate, Roe's political consulting firm, Axiom, had uploaded a dossier to its website suggesting ways in which DeSantis could try and tarnish Ramaswamy, primarily by dubbing him a phony. During the predebate presentation, Roe relayed that the well-funded Never Back Down was behind a raft of negative stories about Ramaswamy, who in recent days has faced questions about his inconsistencies on key issues, his foreign policy views and his readiness to be president. He has also been pressed on his past criticism of Trump, who Ramaswamy now praises as the 'best president of the 21st century.'

According to the report, Ramaswamy spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, "When DeSantis's Super Pac campaign, Chris Christie, the New York Times, MSNBC and the rest of the bipartisan establishment are all going after you at the same time, you know you're right over the target. America watched Vivek dominate the debate stage, it's no wonder Never Back Down is pissing away another $20+ million after Labor Day."

READ MORE: Vivek Ramaswamy blasted after suggesting DeSantis a 'real danger' to GOP

Politico's full report is available at this link.