On the eve of Thanksgiving, there is turmoil within Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's political orbit as Chris Jankowski, the chief executive of the super PAC supporting his presidential campaign, resigns. Jankowski's resignation from the main pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, comes after days of infighting among DeSantis allies over strategy, financing, and how to combat the momentum of rival Nikki Haley. In his resignation note sent to the board of Never Back Down, Jankowski described his differences with them as "well beyond a difference of strategic opinion." The resignation is effective immediately.

Never Back Down, which had accumulated $130 million over the summer, has played a crucial role in supporting DeSantis's campaign. However, the departure of Jankowski highlights the internal tensions within the group regarding the Republican primary race against front-runner Donald J. Trump. The resignation comes just seven weeks before the pivotal Iowa caucuses in January.

Although presidential campaigns and super PACs are legally barred from coordinating, DeSantis's campaign and Never Back Down have pushed the boundaries. Never Back Down has been funding some of DeSantis's travel and building a field operation across the country, specifically in the early-voting states. DeSantis frequently appears at fund-raisers coordinated by the super PAC and has traveled across Iowa on a super PAC-funded bus, attending events as a "special guest."

DeSantis has a history of cycling through different teams throughout his political career, which some attribute to his micromanaging style. Jankowski, in his statement issued by Never Back Down, expressed his unwavering support for DeSantis, saying, "For the future of our country, I support and pray Ron DeSantis is our 47th president."

Recent weeks have seen allies of DeSantis and his wife voicing complaints about negative ads run by Never Back Down attacking his primary rival, Nikki Haley, in connection with China. Some allies have questioned the messaging and depth of the ad-buying by the super PAC, while others believe that DeSantis is being blamed by voters for the negative spots.

Tensions within Never Back Down came to a head last week during a strategy meeting at the group's Atlanta offices. Jeff Roe, the group's main strategist, and Scott Wagner, a board member and college friend of DeSantis, engaged in a heated argument about money. The dispute was primarily centered around the transfer of $1 million to a new entity called Fight Right, which was set up by close allies of DeSantis. Some members of Never Back Down, including Ken Cuccinelli, expressed concerns about the handling of the $1 million transfer.

Fight Right, created by three individuals with close ties to DeSantis, aims to join forces with Never Back Down to support DeSantis's campaign. The new group is seen by some allies as being more closely aligned with DeSantis's current campaign manager, James Uthmeier. However, the DeSantis campaign denies any involvement from Uthmeier, as coordinating strategy between outside groups and campaigns is prohibited by federal law.

Despite the internal turmoil, Never Back Down officials held a briefing call with donors, during which Fight Right was described as a subsidiary. The DeSantis campaign welcomes the new group, seeing it as additional support for DeSantis's candidacy.

Chris Jankowski, known for his role in the Republican program Redmap, has been a longtime political adviser to influential conservative Leonard Leo. His resignation as CEO of Never Back Down has further intensified the upheaval within DeSantis's political orbit. Adam Laxalt, the chairman of Never Back Down, has announced that Kristin Davison will now serve as the new chief executive.

As DeSantis's campaign continues to face challenges, particularly in his battle with Nikki Haley for second place in the Republican primary, the role of super PACs in his campaign strategy and the internal disagreements surrounding them remain under scrutiny.