Governor Ron DeSantis is making another big change to his campaign, replacing his current campaign manager with his former chief of staff to ensure his campaign is doing what it must to try and defeat Donald Trump.
His now-former campaign manager has been moved to the position of campaign strategist.
Here’s more via the New York Post:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has replaced his embattled campaign manager Generra Peck with his gubernatorial chief of staff, James Uthmeier, a rep told The Post Tuesday.
Peck, who oversaw DeSantis’ landslide gubernatorial re-election last year, will stay on as the campaign’s chief strategist, the spokesperson added.
Rumors had long swirled that DeSantis allies and donors were pressuring the campaign to replace Peck over concerns about bloated staff numbers and management issues.
In recent weeks, the campaign has laid off dozens of staffers, seeking to make its operations leaner as it scrambles to gain ground on former President Donald Trump. The Messenger first reported on the latest change.
“James Uthmeier has been one of Governor DeSantis’ top advisors for years and he is needed where it matters most: working hand in hand with Generra Peck and the rest of the team to put the governor in the best possible position to win this primary and defeat Joe Biden,” campaign communications director Andrew Romeo told The Post.
Uthmeier, a former Senate staffer who came to DeSantis’ administration after a stint in the Trump administration’s Commerce Department, is widely seen as one of the governor’s closest confidants.
He will be joined with new deputy campaign manager David Polyansky, an Iowa operative who had been an adviser to the DeSantis-aligned Never Back Down Super PAC.
According to The Post it was Florida first lady Casey DeSantis who opted to keep Peck on board with the campaign instead of letting her resign altogether, which Peck offered to do.
I’m sure many will criticize the DeSantis campaign for making this change, but this is the time to make changes like this, when it really matters.