Yet another former aide ditches Trump to join Pro-DeSantis Super PAC

A former communications adviser to Donald Trump’s past campaign is leaving the former president to join a pro-Ron DeSantis Super PAC launched by another Trump administration staffer, Ken Cuccinelli.

The Never Back Down political action committee now has former Trump campaign deputy communications director Matt Wolking as its director of strategic communications.

Cuccinelli, once a top official in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security, abandoned his allegiance to his former boss to launch the Super PAC that seeks Florida Gov. DeSantis to run in 2024 and win the Republican nomination for president.

While Trump remains the favorite to win the Republican nomination, DeSantis is in second place, sometimes leading the former president in certain polls.

Super PACs differ from other political action committees in that they can raise unlimited amounts of money from individuals and corporations, but cannot coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

Several former Trump aides and advisers have broken allegiance in favor of chief competitor Ron DeSantis. Pictured: Trump walks to his plane after a campaign rally in Waco, Texas, on Saturday.

Wolking oversaw the rapid response and war room teams for Trump’s 2020 campaign. He was the communications director for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s 2021 campaign.

Trump continues to see a drop in support from allies and a refusal from members of his former inner circle to support his 2024 candidacy.

Of the nine former Trump campaign officials who spoke to CNN earlier this month, only three said they publicly plan to support the former president’s third consecutive White House bid.

Corey Lewsandowski, once Trump’s top trusted campaign manager, is reportedly privately pitching potential Republican candidates to face the former president in the primary, including DeSantis and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. .

Lewandowski, a New Hampshire resident, was not with Trump during his visit to the Granite State in January. However, the former Trump aide insists that he has not “courted any other Republican presidential candidate.”

Former senior Trump administration official Ken Cuccinelli launched a super PAC on Thursday with the goal of having DeSantis elected president in 2024, even though the governor has yet to announce his candidacy.

Former senior Trump administration official Ken Cuccinelli launched a super PAC earlier this month with the goal of getting Governor Ron DeSantis to run in the Republican primary and be elected president in 2024.

Donald Trump is losing the support of his inner circle as former aides and advisers refuse to weigh in or join other Republican 2024 candidates. This includes Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, once a press secretary for the Trump’s White House, who told Trump in a recent phone call that she was not ready to impose an endorsement after he requested it

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as Trump’s White House press secretary and was one of his strongest supporters during his tenure, has refused to take sides in the upcoming presidential election.

Trump recently called Sanders for her endorsement, the New York Times reported earlier this month, but she wasn’t ready to wade into the waters of a 2024 endorsement.

“I love the president, I have a great relationship with him,” Sanders told Fox News in January. “I know our country would be infinitely better off if he were in office right now instead of Joe Biden, but right now my focus is not 2024, but here in Arkansas.”

Alexa Henning, a spokeswoman for Sanders, told CNN that her comment is still valid two months later.

The distancing from Trump comes as the 2024 primary race heats up and reports surface that DeSantis will announce his candidacy starting in May. The leader of The Sunshine State has begun touring the country and visiting key states, such as Iowa and New Hampshire, which indicate that an announcement is imminent.

Two former advisers contacted by CNN say they want to remain neutral on the 2024 race, while three others declined to comment publicly.

Former spokeswoman for Trump’s 2016 campaign, Katrina Pierson, was non-committal to the endorsement.

Corey Lewsandowski, once Trump’s top trusted campaign manager, is privately pitching potential Republican candidates to face the former president in the primary, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and South Dakota Gov. , Kristi Noem, according to CNN.

Lewandowski has been by the former president’s side on many of his trips to New Hampshire, but opted out of Trump’s first visit there in his 2024 presidential bid despite being invited to attend.

While many see this as his continued estrangement from Trump, Lewandowski says it was just bad timing.

“It was over 1,500 miles away and Mr. Trump knew it very well,” Lewandowski told CNN.

He added that his relationship with Trump “has never changed in the last eight years,” although more than a dozen people in Trump’s orbit noticed a change.

Another stab in the back is Cuccinelli starting a PAC directly aimed at getting Trump’s biggest rival elected as the Republican nominee in 2024.

The NEVER BACK DOWN PAC filed papers in late February with the Federal Election Commission and is now the fourth political committee created to encourage DeSantis to run.

“I have been speaking with many grassroots conservative activists across the country who are very excited about Governor DeSantis’ 2024 run for president,” Cuccinelli said in a statement about the formation of the PAC.

“The energy is there, the governor is seen by grassroots conservatives as a leader and a fighter with a winning conservative record who will lead the Republican Party to victory in 2024. Based on those conversations, I am confident we will build a foundation that is second to none.” political army for Governor DeSantis to help get him into the White House.

Trump still clings to some tried-and-true supporters within his inner circle, including Jason Miller, who worked on his 2016 and 2020 campaigns; social media guru Dan Scavino; and Steve Bannon