DeSantis strategist reveals debate plan to defend Trump

A political consulting firm working for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ super PAC revealed internal campaign documents online — including one that laid out a debate strategy to “defend [former President] Donald Trump” and “take a sledgehammer” to entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, among other suggestions.

The file listed “four basic must-dos” for the Florida governor, who is referred to as “GRD,” the New York Times reported on Thursday.

“1. Attack Joe Biden and the media 3-5 times. 2. State GRD’s positive vision 2-3 times. 3. Hammer Vivek Ramaswamy in a response. 4. Defend Donald Trump in absentia in response to a [former New Jersey Gov.] Chris Christie attack.”

Axiom Strategies made public notes, research memos and internal polls related to the DeSantis campaign this week, but subsequently took down the debate strategy document, according to the Times.

The Aug. 15 memo reportedly cited the so-called “Orchestra Pit Theory” propounded by late Fox News executive Roger Ailes, who held that a candidate who showed a thorough grasp of foreign policy in a debate would get less media attention than one who fell off the stage into the orchestra pit.

It then encouraged DeSantis to create “potential Orchestra Pit Moments.”

“Take a sledgehammer to Vivek Ramaswamy,” the memo stated, suggesting nicknames such as “Fake Vivek” and “Vivek the Fake” to describe the candidate as insufficiently conservative in his views.

A separate document still available online puts Ramaswamy to the left of DeSantis on trade with China, immigration, abortion, COVID-related issues and drug legalization.

“Another boring, establishment attack from Super PAC-creation ‘Robot Ron’ who is literally taking lame, pre-programmed attack lines against me for next week’s debate,” Ramaswamy responded to the strategy documents on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.

Another suggestion urges the Florida governor to go after Christie for targeting Trump, who has not committed to joining the first GOP debate.

“Trump isn’t here, so let’s just leave him alone. He’s too weak to defend himself here,” the line reads. “We’re all running against him. I don’t think we want to join forces with someone on this stage who’s auditioning for a show on MSNBC.”

The executive director of Christie’s super PAC, Brian Jones, responded with a mock press release outlining a debate strategy for the former New Jersey governor.

“Debate Strategy For CJC,” the press email states, using Christie’s initials. “Be yourself, and Tell It Like It Is.”

Elsewhere, the DeSantis document says the Florida governor is a figure “carrying the torch” of Trump who used to be “a breath of fresh air and the first president to tell the elite where to shove it” but has added “so many distractions” since leaving office “that it’s almost impossible for him to focus on moving the country forward.”

“We need someone that can fight for you instead of fighting for himself,” one line about DeSantis reads, echoing the message of several TV ads paid for by the Never Back Down super PAC.

Other suggestions from the memo urge DeSantis to be more relatable by trying to “invoke a personal anecdote story about family, kids, [and his wife] Casey, [and by] showing emotion.”

The strategy notes still online include talking points and potential lines of attack against Ramaswamy, Christie, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former Vice President Mike Pence.

Those lines focus on potential criticisms of a recent Florida black history curriculum and DeSantis’ ongoing battles with Disney.

There is no such file on Trump. Polls from DeSantis-linked firm WPA Intelligence in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire are also present, which show Ramaswamy up 10 percentage points in the Granite State over the last four months.

DeSantis lags more than 20 points behind Trump in the Hawkeye State, according to one of the polls.

Super PACs are prevented by federal law from discussing strategy with associated campaigns. Jeff Roe is the founder of Axiom Strategies and chief strategist for Never Back Down.

The documents were revealed less than a week before the Republican presidential candidates are set to meet on the debate stage for the first time in Milwaukee.