Report: RGA Vice Chair and Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts' Family May Be Behind New Anti-Putnam Ads

Are National Republicans Funding Ads Against Establishment Frontrunner Adam Putnam?

It appears the cavalry is finally coming for Ron DeSantis. According to a bombshell report by TC Palm’s Ali Schmitz, key leaders at the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Republican Governors Association (RGA) may be behind a new ad attacking Adam Putnam for his ties to special interests​.​

The ad, which began airing almost two weeks ago, is funded by the Tenth Amendment Project, which has ties to the Ricketts family, whose members include both Nebras​ka Governor Todd Ricketts (the vice chair of the RGA) and Todd Ricketts, the RNC’s finance chair.

The alleged intervention of the Ricketts family, and by association the national Republican establishment, into the gubernatorial primary represents an extraordinary vote of no confidence in Adam Putnam. Over the past two months, Putnam has struggled to defend his record of scandal and mismanagement at the Department of Agriculture. President Donald Trump also made clear in a recent tweet that DeSantis — not Putnam — is his choice to be Florida’s next governor.

“With less than two months until Election Day, the Republican gubernatorial primary is becoming a war between national Republicans and Florida’s political establishment. The Ricketts’ family alleged intervention into this race represents the latest blow to Adam Putnam’s gubernatorial campaign, which has struggled to defend his record of scandal and mismanagement for months. With far right billionaires now helping Ron DeSantis, it’s clear that Republicans’ nasty primary is only set to get uglier,” said FDP spokesperson Kevin Donohoe.