Ron DeSantis cuts a third of presidential campaign staff as he seeks urgent reset
- The Florida governor, thought to be Trump’s chief rival in the Republican primary contest, is in financial trouble as his stumbling campaign burns through cash
- The revelations mark a new low for DeSantis, who was involved on the same day in a multi-car accident from which he emerged unscathed
Republican US presidential contender Ron DeSantis is cutting far more campaign staff than previously thought as he works to reset his stumbling campaign amid unexpected financial trouble.
DeSantis, long considered former president Donald Trump’s chief rival in the Republican 2024 primary contest, has cut a third of his campaign staff – or 38 people, according to campaign aides who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal campaign strategy.
The dramatic staffing cuts include the “less than 10” employees that the DeSantis team revealed letting go earlier in the month just as federal filings showed that his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate, even before launching a substantial paid advertising campaign.
“Following a top-to-bottom review of our organisation, we have taken additional, aggressive steps to streamline operations and put Ron DeSantis in the strongest position to win this primary and defeat Joe Biden,” DeSantis campaign manager Generra Peck said in a statement.
“DeSantis is going to lead the Great American Comeback and we’re ready to hit the ground running as we head into an important month of the campaign.”
Revelations about the staffing cuts came on the same day DeSantis was involved in a multi-car accident on a Tennessee highway in the midst of a fundraising tour. The Florida governor was not hurt, according to his campaign and law enforcement. A female staff member was treated for a minor injury.