Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is making changes to his campaign team as he seeks to revitalize his stagnant presidential bid. DeSantis has appointed James Uthmeier, his chief of staff from his state office, as his new campaign manager, replacing Generra Peck. Peck will remain with the campaign as a strategist. These changes come after DeSantis reduced his staff and faced financial difficulties.
According to campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo, Uthmeier’s extensive experience as one of Governor DeSantis’ top advisers makes him an invaluable addition to the team. Uthmeier’s involvement in the program to transport migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard last year, as revealed by Politico, and his dual role as a political fundraiser for DeSantis’ campaign and a member of his government office, as reported by NBC News, have raised ethical concerns.
Prior to his work for DeSantis, Uthmeier served in the Trump administration and played a role in the efforts to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census, which was investigated by a congressional committee. Uthmeier will temporarily step away from the governor’s office during his tenure as campaign manager, with acting chief of staff Alex Kelly and senior adviser David Dewhirst overseeing operations.
Additionally, DeSantis is hiring David Polyansky, previously involved with the super PAC Never Back Down, as a deputy campaign manager. Polyansky’s experience in early voting Iowa, where the DeSantis campaign is focusing its efforts, makes him a valuable asset to the team. Polyansky has worked on successful presidential campaigns in the past, including those of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.
Never Back Down, a super PAC supporting DeSantis, has been instrumental in organizing events and securing caucus supporters for the campaign. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential coordination between the super PAC and the official campaign. Polyansky’s affiliation with Axiom Strategies, a political consulting firm whose founder and staff are connected to Never Back Down, further highlights these concerns.
Campaign finance lawyer Brett Kappel explains that while federal election rules prohibit coordination between a super PAC and a campaign, the restrictions primarily apply to specific activities such as the placement of television ads and ground operations. Whether Polyansky will continue his involvement with Axiom Strategies or establish a firewall agreement remains unclear.
The staff changes within the DeSantis campaign were reported by The Messenger on Tuesday.
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