Ron DeSantis campaign lays off staff as Florida governor trails Trump in polls

Ron DeSantis’ campaign laid off dozens of staff in an effort to cut costs, months after Florida governor entered the crowded 2024 Republican nomination.

Politico first reported About 10 staff members have resigned in the past few days. Some of the staff may join an external group affiliated with the DeSantis campaign, reports said.

Mr. DeSantis has struggled to gain support in the Republican primary despite his hard-line conservative policy and his reelection campaign in Florida. DeSantis has consistently trailed Donald Trump in polls as the former president stepped up his attacks on him.

Election campaign manager Jenella Peck comes under close scrutiny for early staffing decisions. According to NBC News.

A Republican official told the network, “We shouldn’t have mobilized so many people. The burn rate was too high.” “People warned the campaign manager, but she didn’t want to hear anything.”

Mr. DeSantis has focused his attention on Iowa in recent weeks. tell the reporter He said he would consider Governor Kim Reynolds for vice president. He is less than six months away from the momentous first national Iowa caucuses.

The DeSantis campaign said the move would make the campaign more “agile.”

“Americans are rallying in support of Ron DeSantis and his plan to reverse Joe Biden’s failures and restore sanity to our nation, especially in Iowa where voters will see him more directly. If he does, his momentum will continue,” said Andrew Romeo. said in a statement To New York Times.. Defeating Joe Biden and the $72 million behind him will require an agile, candidate-led campaign, and we are building a movement to reach that goal. ”