In a series of tumultuous events, the super PAC supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in his presidential campaign, Never Back Down, has experienced yet another shake-up. Just nine days after being appointed as chief executive officer, Kristin Davison was fired and replaced by Scott Wagner, a longtime friend of DeSantis. This follows the departure of Adam Laxalt, another close DeSantis ally, who resigned as chairman of the group just a week ago. The reasons behind these changes remain unclear.

Notably, Davison was not the only one to be fired. Erin Perrine, the group's spokeswoman, was also dismissed, and additional departures are rumored to be possible. The timing of these changes is significant as the primary enters its final weeks before the first nominating contest. Meanwhile, DeSantis was in Iowa for the last stop of his tour of the state's 99 counties, made possible by the organizational muscle and financial support of Never Back Down.

The recent turbulence at Never Back Down comes on the heels of internal battles within the group. Close allies of DeSantis in Tallahassee established a new outside group called Fight Right, which was expected to receive a $1 million transfer from Never Back Down to fund attacks on DeSantis's competitor, Nikki Haley. However, this transfer was deemed "exceedingly objectionable" by Ken Cuccinelli, another Never Back Down official.

The departure of Chris Jankowski, the group's CEO since its inception, and Laxalt's resignation preceded Davison and Perrine's firings. The connections between these events remain unclear. Perrine and Davison both work with Jeff Roe, the group's main strategist at Axiom Strategies. Roe had a dispute with Wagner during a meeting at the group's Atlanta offices, which led to the creation of Fight Right.

In response to the internal strife, DeSantis's campaign welcomed the formation of Fight Right, which was created by three of the governor's allies in Florida. Fight Right will be responsible for negative attacks on DeSantis's primary competition, while Never Back Down will focus on its field operation and ground game. DeSantis and his wife, Casey, have expressed dissatisfaction with some of Never Back Down's advertising, and the creation of Fight Right addresses their concerns.

The financial aspects of Never Back Down have also faced scrutiny. The group initially received $82.5 million from DeSantis's leftover political funds from his 2022 re-election campaign. Fight Right, on the other hand, emphasizes that 100% of contributions will directly fund TV ads. However, it should be noted that the initial funding for Fight Right came from a $1 million transfer from Never Back Down, which Cuccinelli objected to.

Throughout these developments, DeSantis has been meeting with prospective donors for Fight Right in Palm Beach. The governor's campaign manager, James Uthmeier, expressed support for the new group and outlined a division of responsibilities between Fight Right and Never Back Down.

While the reasons for the latest shake-up at Never Back Down remain unclear, the changes come at a critical time in the presidential campaign. With the Iowa caucuses approaching, DeSantis's campaign is relying on the support of allied super PACs to bolster his chances of securing the Republican nomination.