Pro-DeSantis super PAC lays off staff after second-place finish in Iowa

• A super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary is laying off staff following the Iowa caucuses.
• The PAC, Never Back Down, said it has transferred some of its Iowa political staff to other early primary states and will pay the rest of them through January.
• DeSantis beat former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley in Iowa but lost to former President Donald Trump by a wide margin.

A super political action committee supporting Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary is laying off staff as it shifts its operation out of Iowa following the Florida governor's second-place finish in the cycle's first nominating contest.

An official with the PAC, Never Back Down, told CNBC on Wednesday that it has transferred some of its Iowa political staff to other early primary states and will pay the rest of them through January.

The move was planned, said the official, who spoke anonymously to discuss the group's activities.

The extent of the layoffs, first reported by The New York Times, was not immediately clear. It was also unclear whether they were contained to Iowa.

George Andrews, who said he was let go from Never Back Down early Wednesday morning, identified himself on LinkedIn as both an Iowa precinct operations director and the group's California state director.

In a post on LinkedIn, Andrews said he was "now a free agent due to budget cuts beyond my control."

"I completely understand why this had to happen, harbor no ill will, and wish my former team great success as they attempt to bring back sanity to our party," Andrews wrote in the post. "What they are trying to accomplish for America is much greater than my termination as an individual employee."

Andrews declined to