Some of the door knockers working for a DeSantis-aligned super PAC have told Iowa voters that they're actually Trump supporters

• Allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis have worked for months to boost his standing in early-voting Iowa.
• But they've been hampered by Trump's continued appeal to GOP primary voters.

For months, the main super PAC aligned with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been powered by full-time canvassers and thousands of volunteers who've worked to boost the 2024 presidential contender in a Republican primary still dominated by former President Donald Trump.

But despite its sophisticated operation, the group, known as Never Back Down, has so far been unable to help lift DeSantis over Trump in the GOP primary.

A new report shines a light on the full extent of the struggle.

According to The New York Times, several Never Back Down door knockers — who are tasked with persuading Iowans to back DeSantis — have told prospective caucusgoers that they're actually supporting Trump in the presidential race.

In conservations with the Times, a group of voters, local officials, and strategists in Iowa told the newspaper that some Never Back Down door knockers were ill-mannered or indifferent while also calling out the super PAC over a lack of authenticity in courting voters across the state.

"From my point of view, it hasn't been working," businessman Cris Christenson told the Times when describing Never Back Down.

Christenson, who lives in the Des Moines area, told the Times that Never Back Down had swarmed his neighborhood and had knocked on his door three times. But Christenson, who described DeSantis as "very bright," added that despite Never Back Down's efforts, GOP voters in Iowa remained behind Trump.

"It really comes down to this — Trump is so wildly popular in the state that DeSantis doesn't stand a chance," he told the newspaper.

As of December 23, Trump maintains a huge edge in FiveThirtyEight's weighted polling average of the Iowa GOP caucuses, with the former president averaging 50% support. DeSantis is far behind in Iowa, averaging 18.4% support, while former UN ambassador Nikki Haley is averaging 15.7% support.

DeSantis has earned the endorsement of popular Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, along with the backing of influential Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats, which are seals of approval that would be impressive for any GOP presidential candidate.

But it remains difficult for DeSantis to shift momentum in his favor given Trump's continued bond with GOP voters.

Iowa GOP political organizer Will Rogers told the Times that Never Back Down was "doing the right things" but noted that their organizing still hadn't improved DeSantis' chances in the state.

"[I]t just doesn't seem to be moving the needle at all," he told the newspaper.

Never Back Down spokeswoman Jess Szymanski told the Times that she believes the group's door-knocking work has been effective in bringing more voters into DeSantis' corner.

"With every voter we interact with on the ground, we constantly find strong support and new voters committing to caucus for Governor DeSantis," she told the newspaper.