Adam Laxalt resigns from PAC backing DeSantis for president
Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt stepped down as chair of the main super PAC supporting Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign.
Laxalt, a friend and former naval roommate of the Florida governor, served as chairman of Never Back Down since April 2023 after his unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 2022.
“After nearly 26 straight months of being in a full scale campaign, I need to return my time and attention to my family and law practice,” Laxalt wrote in a letter emailed to members of the board Nov. 26, a copy of which was obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Laxalt added that while he is resigning from his position, he is not resigning from the mission of electing DeSantis as president.
“I will continue to support Governor DeSantis in whatever ways I can, and I hope and pray that his campaign will be successful,” Laxalt wrote.
His resignation marks the second departure from the PAC, with CEO Chris Jankowski resigning on Nov. 22.
Nothing has changed for the PAC in terms of its operations in Nevada, said Robert Uithoven, senior adviser on Never Back Down.
Those departures aren’t the only setback the governor’s presidential campaign has faced. GOP megadonor and hotel mogul Robert Bigelow, who had given $20 million for DeSantis’ White House aspirations, also recently backed out from his support and decided to back former President Donald Trump instead.
DeSantis has dropped steadily in the polls over the past few months, while support for Trump and former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley has slightly increased, according to FiveThirtyEight.
During his campaign, DeSantis has made multiple stops in the Silver State, such as attending Laxalt’s annual Basque Fry in June and the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership summit in October.
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.