Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has made the decision to downsize his campaign staff, just a few months into his presidential bid, due to his struggle to gain traction in the Republican primary. Recent polls have shown that he has lost ground to former President Donald J. Trump. While the exact number of people let go remains unclear, it is believed to be fewer than 10 individuals. This development was initially reported by Politico.
This downsizing of staff raises concerns about both DeSantis’ fundraising efforts and his spending. Major donors who had previously shown interest in supporting him are growing apprehensive about his performance. However, an aide named Andrew Romeo remains optimistic about the campaign’s prospects. He believes that Americans are rallying behind DeSantis and his plan to reverse Joe Biden’s failures. Romeo states that the campaign’s momentum will continue to grow as voters see more of DeSantis in person, particularly in Iowa. He asserts that defeating Biden and the significant financial resources behind him will require a well-executed and candidate-driven campaign.
It is worth noting that campaign reshuffling is not uncommon in the months leading up to voting. Former Senator John McCain, for example, made significant changes to his campaign in the summer of 2007 before eventually winning the Republican nomination. Similarly, Donald Trump went through multiple iterations of his campaign during his successful bid for the presidency, although these changes occurred outside of the primary races.
Despite these setbacks, top DeSantis fundraisers insist that the Florida governor is committed to staying in the race for the long haul. They believe that the upcoming debates and contests starting in January will be key opportunities for him to regain lost momentum.
DeSantis is making these alterations earlier than expected, suggesting that the campaign needs to address various issues, including travel schedules and staff size, in order to recover. Aides anticipate further changes and reveal plans for policy speeches and interviews with news outlets that DeSantis has previously criticized.
The struggles faced by DeSantis are not just related to numbers but also to the campaign’s message. Last week, two of his top advisers, Dave Abrams and Tucker Obenshain, announced their departure to join an outside group supporting DeSantis.
According to the Federal Election Commission, DeSantis raised around $20 million but has spent nearly $8 million, resulting in a burn rate that leaves him with $12 million in cash on hand. However, only about $9 million of that amount can be used for the primary, with the rest allocated for the general election if DeSantis becomes the nominee.
The campaign’s financial disclosure revealed a surprisingly large staff for this stage of the candidacy, especially considering the presence of a super PAC that is supposedly taking on a significant workload. Expenditures have included more than $1 million for payroll and payroll processing, $1.3 million for travel (including private jet rental services), over $800,000 for digital fundraising consulting, media placement, and postage, and nearly $1 million to WinRed, an online donation-processing company.
It is worth noting that previous Republican primary races have seen candidates experiencing initial success followed by significant struggles. Scott Walker, the former governor of Wisconsin, exited the presidential race in September 2015 due to mounting debt. Jeb Bush, one of DeSantis’ predecessors as Florida governor and a major fundraiser in the 2016 campaign, also faced difficulties and had to downsize his payroll, although this occurred much later in the race.
Despite the challenges, DeSantis’ allies highlight that he is performing better in Iowa polls compared to Jeb Bush at the same stage in 2015. They believe that DeSantis has a more natural base of support in Iowa, which is crucial for any candidate aiming to challenge Trump. The Iowa caucuses are scheduled for January 15, 2024.
In conclusion, Governor Ron DeSantis’ decision to reduce his campaign staff reflects his struggle to gain momentum in the Republican primary. Concerns about fundraising and spending have arisen, leading to changes within the campaign. However, DeSantis and his team remain optimistic about his prospects, particularly in Iowa, where he is performing relatively well in the polls. It remains to be seen how these adjustments will impact his campaign moving forward.
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