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The super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential bid has dramatically scaled down its ad spending in recent weeks, as the candidate has ramped up his campaigning for the GOP presidential nomination.
As of just two weeks ago, the pro-DeSantis Never Back Down and MAGA Inc., the super PAC backing former President Donald Trump, were virtually tied in ad spending since the start of the year, according to data from the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
Through May 15, Never Back Down had spent $10.8 million on the airwaves, compared to MAGA Inc.'s $10.2 million.
But the dynamic has shifted dramatically since then.
From May 16 through the end of the month, Never Back Down spent just $22,000 on ads, while MAGA Inc. spent another $5.4 million.
Never Back Down's ramping down directly corresponds with the drumbeat of activity surrounding DeSantis' presidential launch.
DeSantis' campaign staff moved into their new offices on March 15, triggering the countdown to his formal launch, which happened on May 24. The weeks since have been filled with DeSantis dominating the headlines, from his announcement on Twitter to his current swing through Iowa.
That news has filled the void left by the end of Never Back Down's latest advertising run. The super PAC's ads have been almost universally positive spots highlighting DeSantis’ biography and record as governor.
All of the MAGA Inc. spots from the month, meanwhile, are primarily critical of DeSantis, attacking him on taxes, entitlements and more.
Never Back Down isn't solely devoting its budget to ad buys this cycle — NBC News confirmed last week that half of its $200 million operating budget is going to be devoted to a voter outreach program.
But the absence of millions of dollars of Never Back Down ad spending in recent weeks means the DeSantis launch has been all about earned media, as opposed to countering the onslaught of Trump attacks with a robust air defense.
A spokeswoman for the group did not respond to a request for comment.
