Ron DeSantis needs to “take a sledgehammer” to Vivek Ramaswamy, the rising political newcomer, in the polls. He should also defend Donald Trump when Chris Christie attacks the former president. Additionally, he should attack Joe Biden and the media three to five times. A super PAC associated with Mr. DeSantis’s presidential campaign posted extensive advice, research memos, and internal polling on their website to guide him before the upcoming Republican presidential debate. The leaked documents provide valuable insight into the campaign’s strategy for the crucial debate. The documents highlight four essential actions for Mr. DeSantis: attacking Joe Biden and the media, stating his positive vision, responding to Vivek Ramaswamy, and defending Donald Trump when attacked by Chris Christie. While the posting of such documents online is risky, it is not uncommon for super PACs to adopt this approach to avoid private strategizing with political campaigns. However, it is unusual for a super PAC or consulting firm to post documents with such extensive details on their website, indicating that they may be trying to dictate the candidate’s debate performance. The DeSantis campaign and super PAC have not yet responded to requests for comment. Notably, the documents do not mention a strategy for addressing Mr. Trump, who has been aggressively criticising Mr. DeSantis. The lack of focus on policy and specific solutions in the documents suggests the campaign’s goal is to generate media attention rather than propose detailed plans. One of the leaked memos cites “Roger Ailes’ Orchestra Pit Theory,” suggesting that candidates who offer comprehensive plans on foreign policy receive less coverage than those who create dramatic moments. The memo also recommends attacking Vivek Ramaswamy and defending Trump when attacked by Chris Christie, positioning Mr. DeSantis as the torchbearer of the Trump movement while acknowledging the need to move on to a new Republican standard-bearer. The leak of these documents reveals the extent to which the financially struggling DeSantis campaign relies on the resources of his super PAC, which raised $130 million in the first half of the year. The super PAC plays a substantial role in conducting research on Mr. DeSantis’s rivals, providing strategic insights and polling, tasks typically handled by campaigns themselves. The leaked documents also include detailed research on how each candidate expected to appear in the debate has attacked Mr. DeSantis. This insight allows the campaign to prepare responses and strategies accordingly.