DeSantis Fires One-Third of Campaign Team Amidst Struggles in Presidential Race

DeSantis Fires One-Third of His Team

The US primary campaign is not going as planned for DeSantis. He is far behind former President Trump in the polls. Now, Florida's governor is taking action and firing one-third of his team.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has fired one-third of his campaign team after a rocky start to his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. According to sources within his campaign, 38 people will be let go. Just recently, it was said that DeSantis planned to dismiss fewer than ten employees.

His campaign manager, Generra Peck, stated that after a thorough evaluation, the team has taken additional aggressive steps to streamline operations and put DeSantis "in the strongest position to win these primaries and defeat Joe Biden."

Polls show DeSantis trailing behind Trump

Observers see this personnel purge as a new low for DeSantis, who entered the Republican primary race in May with high expectations. Many in the party have long considered him the most promising rival to former President Donald Trump, who plans to run for the White House again in 2024.

However, two months later, DeSantis finds himself far behind Trump in most polls. Many party leaders and donors are now wondering if the 44-year-old governor is even ready for the national stage.

Campaign's financial difficulties

DeSantis' campaign is also facing unexpected financial troubles. While donations totaling $150 million have been raised for his candidacy so far, a large portion of that money, $130 million, went to a so-called Super PAC. These organizations can accept unlimited donations and use them to promote specific candidates or political causes. Although they have significant influence on the campaign, by law, they are not allowed to directly provide funds to candidates.

For his own campaign, DeSantis raised over $20 million in the first six weeks after announcing his candidacy. However, recent filings with the election commission revealed that he and his team have spent over $8 million on more than 100 paid staff members, a large security service, and luxury trips in a short period of time. Interestingly, DeSantis has not yet aired campaign ads on a large scale. The news magazine "Politico" first reported on the recent staff cuts in his team.