3 takeaways from 'confidential' DeSantis campaign memo to quell donor concerns

Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign is encountering enough turbulence that aides felt compelled to send out a "confidential" memo last week aimed at quieting concerns among donors.

DeSantis increasingly has been confronted by interviewers about his low poll numbers, and publicly has shrugged off the idea that his campaign is in trouble. Yet the need for the memo indicates that some DeSantis supporters are worried.

Here are three takeaways from the memo, which is labeled a "confidential friends and family update" that is "not for distribution" and was first obtained by NBC News.

Focus on early states

DeSantis has been building up operations in early states such as Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.

The memo makes it clear that DeSantis is all in on these states right now, instead of broadening the campaign to the large group of states that vote on Super Tuesday.

"While Super Tuesday is critically important, we will not dedicate resources to Super Tuesday that slow our momentum in New Hampshire," the memo states. "We expect to revisit this investment in the Fall."

A campaign that is running strong in the early voting states might be tempted to devote resources to more states. The fact that the campaign is laser focused on the early states indicates DeSantis' team feels there is a lot of work to do there, and that spending money on a national campaign is unwise.

Shots at Tim Scott and rivals

As DeSantis struggles, there has been reporting that some big donors are taking a deeper look at South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott.

The memo shows that DeSantis' campaign views Scott as a threat.

"While Tim Scott has earned a serious look at this stage, his bio is lacking the fight that our electorate is looking for in the next President," the memo states. "We expect Tim Scott to receive appropriate scrutiny in the weeks ahead."

It also states former Vice President Mike Pence and Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie "don't feel remotely viable."

As for how he will take on former President Donald Trump, who is trouncing DeSantis in most early polls, expect more of the same tactics.

"Our campaign will make the contrast between Joe Biden and Ron DeSantis clear — but we won't avoid Trump's failings when asked. Our strategy? Question Asked, Question Answered, then on to how we beat Joe Biden," the memo states.

What's to come: An emphasis on his bio, 'woke military' and more

The section of the memo that deals with DeSantis' message leads with his bio, arguing it hasn't been fully explored by the campaign and will be a major focus going forward.

The memo notes that DeSantis didn't sign up for a government pension while in Congress.

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"This and many other examples have yet to even be explored and will likely be feature of his bio in the Fall," the memo states.

DeSantis is a husband and father of young children who graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School and served in the military. Whether the campaign can more successfully leverage his background and credentials remains to be seen.

The governor's team also said they will focus on "big, bold ideas that will get people talking" and lead to more "earned media" and news reports on the campaign.

Echoing DeSantis, who has blamed sagging poll numbers on "corporate media" attacks in recent days, the campaign concluded that "standing in the polls" is directly tied to news coverage. Toward that end, they said DeSantis surrogates would aim to appear "on every possible news segment."

"The earned media is the cake," the memo states. "The paid media (early states and national conservative cable) is the icing and keeps the messaging points from the earned media hits in the voter's face."

The memo also states that over the next two months, the governor will broaden his focus beyond immigration policy to the economy.

“More to come in the Fall of 2023.... including woke military, the deep state, school choice and beyond."

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: DeSantis 'confidential' memo lays out strategy to gain ground on Trump