Republican Ron DeSantis, seeking to reverse his campaign’s declining momentum, has replaced his campaign manager in a bid to rejuvenate his challenge against front-runner Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.
Generra Peck, who had been the campaign chief since DeSantis launched his candidacy in May, has been replaced by James Uthmeier, a close adviser, according to Andrew Romeo, the campaign’s communications director.
In July, the campaign had already made significant personnel changes, including the termination of nearly 40 employees and reorganization of certain higher-level positions.
However, there is a sense of unease among donors, and some remaining staff members are expressing frustration with what they perceive as a directionless campaign lacking a clear vision, sources close to the campaign revealed on the condition of anonymity.
Prominent Republican donor Dan Eberhart commented that the move appears insufficiently bold, as both Peck and Uthmeier are essentially shifting from one senior campaign role to another similar role. Peck will continue as the chief strategist within the campaign team.
Eberhart emphasized that Governor DeSantis needs to alter the dynamics significantly, given the evident need for change. He viewed this as a realignment rather than a true reset, since both individuals were already in senior advisory positions.
Currently, DeSantis holds the second position in the race for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 2024 election. However, his standing in public opinion polls has been steadily declining for several months. The most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates his national support at just 13%, far behind former President Trump’s 47%.
Uthmeier, a staunch conservative, has limited experience with campaigns and electoral politics in general. It remains unclear whether he will pursue a more moderate ideological approach, as suggested by some donors.
Having previously served as a senior adviser for Wilbur Ross, the secretary of commerce under the Trump administration, Uthmeier has held positions as general counsel for DeSantis and, most recently, as his chief of staff.
Romeo, the communications director, issued a statement asserting that James Uthmeier, a longstanding top adviser to Governor DeSantis, is crucially positioned to collaborate closely with Generra Peck and the rest of the team. Their objective is to position the governor favorably to secure victory in the primary and subsequently challenge Joe Biden.
The recent removal of Peck from her role follows an announcement by Robert Bigelow, a prominent individual donor supporting DeSantis’ candidacy. Bigelow stated that he would withhold further donations unless the governor alters his approach, citing the ineffectiveness of extremism in gaining electoral success. Bigelow regarded Peck as a competent campaign manager but urged DeSantis to adopt a more moderate stance.
Regarding the looming Republican debate on August 23 in Milwaukee, DeSantis faces a pivotal moment. With Trump’s intention to skip the debate, DeSantis could become the target of criticism from other candidates.
David Polyansky, a key figure in the main outside spending group supporting DeSantis, is reportedly joining the campaign as a senior adviser, according to an anonymous source familiar with the matter.
This recent shakeup aligns with a pattern seen in DeSantis’ previous campaigns, according to Whit Ayres, a Republican operative who served as DeSantis’ pollster during his 2018 Florida gubernatorial campaign.
