Governor Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign has been a major disappointment for many conservatives who had hoped he could become the Republican nominee.
The recent firings of over a dozen staff members, coupled with the departure of two veteran advisors, have put this campaign in serious jeopardy. It appears that Governor DeSantis is now attempting to save his struggling presidential bid by cutting costs and restructuring his team.
The first sign that something was amiss came when David Abrams and Tucker Obenshain both abruptly left the campaign in early September.
Both men had served as top advisors on DeSantis’s 2018 gubernatorial race and their departures signaled significant trouble for the then-floundering presidential bid.
This was soon followed by reports that over a dozen staffers were fired from the DeSantis campaign. The majority of these personnel cuts were directed at mid-level employees, suggesting an attempt on the part of Governor DeSantis to reduce expenditures in order to keep his candidacy afloat.
With such drastic measures being taken, it is clear that Governor Desantis’ presidential campaign is facing some challenges. His declining poll numbers make it difficult for him to remain competitive against other Republican candidates vying for the nomination, yet his current strategy may not be enough to turn things around in time for Super Tuesday or even Iowa Caucus day which take place before February 3rd 2020 respectively.
Some experts suggest that he has already lost too much ground in terms of support from key Republicans and donors and all this bodes ill for any long-term success he might have had prior to these setbacks in staffing and public opinion polls.
It will be interesting to see how Governor Desantis responds to this new crisis regarding his political future moving forward as we approach election season 2020 in full swing next year.
Will he be able to mount a comeback? Can he regain lost ground following these sudden changes? Or will his candidacy ultimately prove unsuccessful due to lack of resources and diminishing public support?
Here’s how NBC News reported it:
Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign has fired roughly a dozen staffers — and more are expected in the coming weeks as he shakes up his big-money political operations after less than two months on the campaign trail.
Those who were let go were described to NBC News by a source familiar as mid-level staffers across several departments whose departures were related to cutting costs. The exits come after the departures of David Abrams and Tucker Obenshain, veterans of DeSantis’ political orbit, which were first reported by Politico.
Sources involved with the DeSantis campaign say there is an internal assessment among some that they hired too many staffers too early, and despite bringing in $20 million during its first six weeks, it was becoming clear their costs needed to be brought down.
Some in DeSantis’ political orbit are laying the early blame at the feet of campaign manager Generra Peck, who also led DeSantis’ 2022 midterm reelection bid and is in the hot seat right now.
… and per the New York Post:
Presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis has reportedly fired roughly a dozen of his staffers as his campaign is burning through cash without making a dent in former President Donald Trump’s lead.
More staffers are expected to lose their jobs over the next few weeks amid the cost-cutting campaign shakeup, less than two months after the Florida Governor officially launched his White House bid, NBC reported.
Those who were fired were mainly mid-level staffers to bring down costs after DeSantis’ camp determined they may have hired too many staffers too early, despite its $20 million haul after six weeks on the campaign trail, sources told the outlet.
“They never should have brought so many people on, the burn rate was way too high,” one Republican source familiar with the campaign’s thought process. “People warned the campaign manager but she wanted to hear none of it.”
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