Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks through the Mothers for Liberty Joyful Warriors national summit on the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown on June 30, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is replacing his presidential campaign manager as he struggles to shut his polling gap with former President Donald Trump and faces growing concerns from top donors.
Generra Peck, who was instrumental to DeSantis’ sweeping gubernatorial reelection last 12 months but has come under fire as the top of his White House bid, is being replaced by James Uthmeier, who was chief of staff for the governor’s office.
Political strategist David Polyansky, who was working for the pro-DeSantis super political motion committee Never Back Down, is being hired as Uthmeier’s deputy campaign manager, the campaign confirmed Tuesday.
Peck will remain as DeSantis’ chief campaign strategist, in line with The Messenger, which first reported on the change in management.
Uthmeier has no prior experience running a political campaign. He had been within the chief of staff role for just over a 12 months, in line with his LinkedIn page.
The highest-down shakeup comes after DeSantis’ 10-week-old campaign has fired dozens of staffers in what has turn into a protracted campaign reboot reportedly prompted partly by money concerns.
“James Uthmeier has been certainly one of Governor DeSantis’ top advisors for years and he is required where it matters most: working hand in hand with Generra Peck and the remaining of the team to place the governor in one of the best possible position to win this primary and defeat Joe Biden,” communications director Andrew Romeo said in a press release to CNBC.
“David Polyansky can even be a critical addition to the team given his presidential campaign experience in Iowa and work at Never Back Down,” Romeo said. “We’re enthusiastic about these additions as we proceed to spread the governor’s message across the country. It is time to reverse our nation’s decline and revive America’s future.”
Uthmeier will take the reins just weeks before the primary Republican presidential debate, which is ready for Aug. 23 in Milwaukee. Lots of the candidates have homed in on the debates as a critical opportunity to crack through to the highest of the first field, which has thus far been dominated by Trump.
The previous president has signaled he’s leaning toward skipping the debates.
