Mary Lou Masters on September 5, 2023
Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential bid, is releasing an advertisement, first shared with the Daily Caller News Foundation, highlighting his plan to quell drug cartels at the southern border.
The video is a part of the super PAC’s recently announced $25 million ad buy, and will begin running this week in the first two key early nominating states, Iowa and New Hampshire. The ad, titled “Stone Cold Dead,” depicts Vice President Kamala Harris claiming that “the border is secure,” media reports commending DeSantis’ immigration plan to use “deadly force” against the cartels and clips of the governor touting his policy crackdown.
“The cartels are killing tens of thousands of our fellow citizens,” DeSantis said at the first Republican presidential debate on Aug. 23, which was featured in the ad. “We have to defend our people. We’re going to use force and we’re going to leave them stone cold dead.”
DeSantis released his plan to secure the southern border and “stop the invasion” in late June during a campaign visit to Eagle Pass, Texas. The governor has pledged to build a border wall, use “deadly force” against the drug cartels and send state law enforcement to assist federal authorities.
“No excuses, we will get the job done,” DeSantis is quoted in the ad.
Under the Biden administration, illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border soared to over 2.2 million in fiscal year 2022, according to federal data, and August experienced a spike with a record number of roughly 91,000 encounters.
The governor has also unveiled his agenda to “rip woke out of the military” on July 18 and his economic plan on July 31 if elected president in 2024, and is expected to make another policy roll out soon.
The RealClearPolitics (RCP) average for a 2024 national Republican primary, based on polls conducted between Aug. 24 to Aug. 31, indicates former President Donald Trump is leading the crowded field with 53.4%, followed by DeSantis with 14.8%, conservative businessman Vivek Ramaswamy with 7%, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley with 6.1% and former Vice President Mike Pence with 4.9%. All other GOP hopefuls garnered less than 3% support.
The White House did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
