A super PAC urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for president has brought on top Republican strategist Jeff Roe, giving it a significant boost as the battle heats up between DeSantis and former President Donald Trump.
Roe is joining Never Back Down PAC, a source familiar with the plans said. The super PAC was launched this month by Ken Cuccinelli, a Trump administration official who has defected for the 2024 race and is playing a major role in laying the groundwork for DeSantis’ widely expected White House bid.
“Jeff Roe and the Axiom team have the experience, know-how and the resources needed to elect the next president of the United States," a source close to Never Back Down PAC said. "If DeSantis announces he’s running, Roe’s team will make the difference in getting him to overtake Trump in the primary.”
The news was first reported by Politico.
The DeSantis team declined to comment for this article.
Roe is a hot commodity in the GOP world. He’s the founder of the firm Axiom Strategies and is known most recently for Glenn Youngkin’s unlikely victory in the Virginia governor’s race. Youngkin, who has not yet indicated one way or another, has also been rumored as a possible 2024 hopeful.
In 2016, Roe ran the presidential campaign of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and led him to victory in the Iowa caucuses, giving him some experience in running a race against Trump.
Roe, a sought-after consultant, joins at a critical time. DeSantis has been doing events nationwide, promoting his book and speaking in early voting states. But he has also started to face criticism and questions from his own party about his responses to multiple issues — from Trump’s potential indictment to Ukraine to slipping poll numbers.
