Florida Governor and 2024 Republican Presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis speaks with voters and residents in border-adjacent communities during a campaign event in Eagle Pass, Texas, on June 26, 2023.
Suzanne Cordeiro | AFP | Getty Images
The primary super PAC backing Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign posted, after which removed, a memo outlining a four-pronged strategy the Florida governor might absorb next week’s Republican primary debate, The Latest York Times first reported Thursday.
The document, which was also reported by NBC News, really useful that DeSantis defend former President Donald Trump from one among his opponent’s attacks — assuming Trump decides to skip the Milwaukee debate.
DeSantis must also attack President Joe Biden and the media as much as five times, “hammer” GOP contender Vivek Ramaswamy and state his “positive vision” two or 3 times, in line with the memo, which called those goals “must-dos.”
The 2-page memo was one among a slew of records posted publicly this week by Axiom Strategies, a firm headed by Jeff Roe, a top advisor for the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down. After the Times asked concerning the debate-strategy memo, the group deleted it from Axiom’s website, in line with the newspaper.
But other campaign research documents remain on Axiom’s site. Those documents include opposition research on Ramaswamy, the entrepreneur and crusader against “woke” issues who has made an outsized impression on the campaign trail, in addition to pages on how each of DeSantis’ rivals could attack him in a debate.
A ten-page memo on former Latest Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a serious critic of each Trump and DeSantis who has hyped his skills as a debater, notes that he may attack DeSantis “for not being as openly hostile to Trump.”
The now-deleted memo summarizing DeSantis’ debate goals advised him to “defend Donald Trump in absentia in response to a Chris Christie attack.”
The memo even offered a pre-written retort for DeSantis to fireplace at Christie. “Trump is not here so let’s just leave him alone. He’s too weak to defend himself here. We’re all running against him,” the memo said.
“I do not think we wish to hitch forces with someone on this stage who’s auditioning for a show on MSNBC,” the memo suggested DeSantis could say.
A spokeswoman for the super PAC didn’t immediately reply to CNBC’s request for comment.
The memo underscores the effective line DeSantis is attempting to walk as he seeks to defeat Trump within the Republican primary without alienating the previous president’s loyal base. While Trump frequently rails against DeSantis at every available opportunity, the Florida governor has been far less willing to reply in kind.
U.S. President Donald Trump greets Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as he arrives at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Florida, May 8, 2019.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
That strategy has yet to yield an uptick within the polls for DeSantis, who has seen his support erode in recent national surveys of the first race. Trump holds a commanding lead over the sector, whilst he grapples with a combined 91 felony counts in 4 lively criminal cases.
Trump has suggested he won’t attend the primary primary debate, which is ready for Wednesday evening in Milwaukee. “Why would you let anyone that is at zero, or one or two or three [in the polls] be popping you with questions?” he said recently.
Trump has also said he wouldn’t sign the Republican National Committee’s pledge to support the eventual party nominee, which is a debate requirement.
