Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), amid weeks of negative media headlines, is letting go of more staffers who worked on his 2024 presidential campaign, a sign that his team is struggling in the battle to defeat former President Donald Trump and win the GOP nomination.
DeSantis's campaign confirmed the news of staff reductions to the Washington Examiner on Tuesday. “Following a top-to-bottom review of our organization, 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," campaign manager Generra Peck said in a statement. "Governor 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.”
PROGRESSIVE PETRI DISH: MINNESOTA GOP HITS RESET AFTER RECENT SHELLACKING
The staffing shakeup of 38 jobs was first reported Tuesday afternoon by Politico, which detailed that the cuts included 10 event planning positions, announced weeks prior, and the departure of senior campaign advisers Dave Abrams and Tucker Obenshain.
The latest personnel change comes in the wake of the DeSantis campaign nixing less than 10 staffers last week. Second quarter filings showed that, while DeSantis led the primary field by raising $20 million, the campaign burned through $8 million, leaving only $12 million cash on hand with only $9 million eligible to be used during the primary season. The other $3 million can only be used during the general election should DeSantis dethrone Trump's lead.
Both Trump and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) reported having significantly more available cash than DeSantis, with $22 million and $21 million, respectively.
DeSantis's burn rate reportedly stoked worry with donors, as there are still nearly six months until the primary. High dollar donors backing the Florida governor expressed concerns about his spending, especially as DeSantis has remained relatively stagnant in national polling.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
At a recent donor retreat, the campaign promised to move forward with a "leaner, meaner" approach, cutting costs on staff, events, and fundraising expenses. Some donors are even reportedly pushing for more dramatic staff changes, particularly when it comes to Peck, his campaign manager. One donor was quoted by NBC News, saying she was "hanging on by a thread." However, Peck appears to be safe from the latest layoffs.
It could be difficult to chip away at Trump's lead, as DeSantis's poll numbers have slipped over the past few months. A Morning Consult poll released on Tuesday showed DeSantis at his lowest rating with 16% support among potential Republican primary voters, compared to Trump's 59%, a 43 percentage point gap. In December when Morning Consult began tracking primary voters, DeSantis garnered 30% support compared to Trump's 49%, only a 19 percentage point gap.