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Maga Inc., the Trump-aligned Super PAC, is out with a new ad this morning titled “Versus” that hits Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his past support for a Fair Tax bill, which would replace much of the current U.S. tax code with a national sales tax levied on every purchase.
“Trump versus DeSantis: On taxes,” a voice says in the ad as a rotating background of photos flashes on screen. “In Congress, Ron DeSantis pushed a 23% national sales tax, where the middle class pays more. 90% of families would get a tax hike if DeSantis replaced the current system. President Trump cut taxes — a lot.”
It’s the latest attack from Trump or his allies targeting votes and sponsored bills from DeSantis’ time in Congress, where he was part of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. The ad begins airing on Fox News this morning and Newsmax later in the day. Starting Saturday, it will also be featured on CNN, a Maga Inc. spokesman told Semafor.
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Highlighting DeSantis’ past support for a Fair Tax bill (which he repeatedly sponsored as a member of Congress) is not surprising. In February, Semafor reported how multiple potential 2024 candidates were facing scrutiny over their willingness to entertain the idea, especially as conservatives in the new Republican-led House drew renewed attention to the concept. While President Biden and Democrats took the lead in attacking the latest version earlier this year, a source close to Trump noted at the time that his rivals would eventually have to “answer for what they support and what they’ve advocated in the past.”
It’s unclear where the Florida governor stands on the issue now — his team did not respond to a request for comment — but the topic has remained a polarizing one among conservatives ever since the late 1990s, when it rose in popularity.
Supporters argue it would create a simpler system that would make it harder to dodge taxes while not penalizing workers for increasing their income. Critics say it would raise taxes on large swaths of Americans, increase inequality, and still add more to the deficit. Speaker Kevin McCarthy distanced himself from the proposal earlier this year.
