Former President Donald Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ debate against California Gov. Gavin Newsom, dubbing it the ‘Battle of Loserville,’ as DeSantisworld sources say the governor’s 2024 campaign is running out of steam.
After midnight on Truth Social Friday, Trump shared a dubbed ‘Battle of Loserville’ video, with moderator Sean Hannity asking DeSantis, ‘Have you ever betrayed the greatest president who ever lived, President Donald J. Trump.’
Trump has long fumed that DeSantis shouldn’t be running against him for the 2024 nomination because the then-president backed the aspiring Florida governor over another Republican in the 2018 GOP gubernatorial primary.
In the faked clip, Hannity also asks DeSantis, ‘Are you a short insecure little man that likes to wear lifts inside your cowboy boots, yes or no answer please,’ while faux Newsom outs the Florida governor for bringing along a stepstool.
The 55-second clip ends with DeSantis shrinking and then slinking offstage.
Former President Donald Trump responded to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Thursday night debate on Fox against California Gov. Gavin Newsom by sharing a dubbed video entitled: ‘BATTLE OF LOSERVILLE’ after midnight on Friday
In the faked clip, Hannity asks DeSantis, ‘Are you a short insecure little man that likes to wear lifts inside your cowboy boots, yes or no answer please,’ with DeSantis shrinking and slinking offstage (pictured)
In reality, The Washington Post reported Friday on the troubles plaguing DeSantis’ presidential campaign.
During Thursday night’s debate with Newsom, the California governor declared that neither he nor DeSantis would be the ‘nominee for our party in 2024.’
At one point Newsom told DeSantis, ‘you’re down 41 points in your home state.’
Beyond the paltry polls, DeSantis’s chief rival for second place, former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley, got the endorsement of the Koch network this week, a group that had previously been drawn to the Florida governor.
Senior campaign aides are feeling gloomy about their chances in the upcoming primary, which kicks off with the Iowa caucuses on January 15.
‘People increasingly think it’s over,’ a person close to DeSantis told The Post. ‘It’s a dumpster fire.’
In recent weeks, a tiff between DeSantis’ campaign and its allied super PAC, Never Back Down, spilled out into public view.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ participation in the Fox News debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom comes at a time when sources close to his presidential campaign are describing it as a ‘dumpster fire’
Allies of former President Donald Trump are relishing reports that show discord between the DeSantis campaign and its primary super PAC Never Back Down. ‘For a group named Never Back Down, it sure seems everyone is backing out,’ said one Trump insider
On November 21, NBC News reported that Jeff Roe, a longtime consultant for the PAC, got into a heated argument with DeSantis confidant Scott Wagner.
‘You have a stick up your a**, Scott,’ Roe reportedly said.
Wagner responded by saying, ‘Why don’t you come over here and get it!’
And then last week, Never Back Down’s CEO Chris Jankowski quit the group.
On Friday, failed Nevada U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt, a DeSantis friend who was serving as chairman, stepped down, according to The New York Times.
In the meantime, DeSantis’ allies have set up another PAC to help their guy: Fight Right.
That PAC ran an ad against Haley calling her out for saying that she jumped into politics after being inspired by something Democrat Hillary Clinton said.
FactCheck.org called the ad misleading because the videos were edited to omit Haley saying that she does not agree with Clinton on ‘anything’ or ‘a lot.’
The move created more internal strife with Ken Cuccinelli, a Never Back Down board member, calling the hits against Haley ‘exceedingly objectionable’ and asking that his comments be preserved in the records of the board, NBC and The Post reported.
On Friday, Trump’s allies highlighted the discord.
‘For a group named Never Back Down, it sure seems everyone is backing out,’ Taylor Budowich, the CEO of the Trump-aligned PAC Make America Great Again Inc., said in a statement.
But Communications Director for Never Back Down, Erin Perrine, told The Post to be prepared for a DeSantis upset in Iowa on caucus night, where Trump presently leads by nearly 30 points.
‘The governor has received the support of Iowa’s popular Gov. Kim Reynolds, evangelical leaders like Bob Vander Plaats, will hit all 99 counties across the state, and has our historic and unmatched caucus operation and grassroots efforts behind him to win on caucus night,’ Perrine told the paper.
‘Instead of regurgitating the consultant class talking points, The Post should get back to reporting,’ she also said.
A Never Back Down source contacted by DailyMail.com did not respond to a request for comment.