Drew Wilson
A super PAC urging Ron DeSantis to run for President is bringing on one of the Governor’s top fundraisers.
Sources close to Never Back Down PAC told Florida Politics that Heather Barker will join the political committee as a senior adviser. Barker previously oversaw fundraising at DeSantis’ state-level political committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, and also for his gubernatorial campaign.
Her efforts saw the Governor’s re-election bid break fundraising records — the committee raised well over $100 million in the 2022 cycle and had about $82.5 million on hand as of Feb. 28.
Never Back Down PAC was launched earlier this month by Ken Cuccinelli, the former Deputy Director of the Donald Trump-era Department of Homeland Security, who has been vocal in his support for a DeSantis presidential run.
“Every election is about the future. And the future is not Joe Biden. The future is Ron DeSantis,” Cuccinelli said in a video introducing the group.
Never Back Down PAC is expected to serve as the main fundraising vehicle for DeSantis’ presidential campaign. There are no contribution limits for super PACs, meaning DeSantis’ state-level committee could funnel up its balance should that be the case.
The addition of Barker is the latest in a string of prominent hires the committee has made since it launched three weeks ago.
Other Republican operatives joining the group include Phil Cox, an adviser to DeSantis’ re-election campaign; Kristin Davison, an adviser to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin; and David Polyansky, an adviser to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s 2016 campaign.
The list notably includes some top staffers from former President Donald Trump’s failed 2020 campaign, including Erin Perrine and Matt Wolking.
