DeSantis urged to revamp campaign amid GOP restlessness.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’s Presidential Campaign Faces Calls for Change
Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) presidential campaign is facing new calls to oust campaign manager Generra Peck. According to political scientist Jeffrey Lazarus, it’s clear that the current strategy isn’t working, and a change is necessary.
“If you look at the numbers, it’s pretty clear that whatever they’re doing currently isn’t working,” said Jeffrey Lazarus, a political scientist at Georgia State University. “So if I’m DeSantis, some kind of change is necessary. Change of personnel, change of strategy, change of whatever.”
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NBC reports that some DeSantis allies and donors are calling for Peck to be let go in order to reinvigorate his lagging campaign. One ally stated, “It’s time for a shakeup at the top,” as DeSantis’s declining poll numbers and recent staff layoffs have raised doubts about his ability to challenge former President Donald Trump as the GOP’s 2024 front-runner.
Despite these challenges, the DeSantis campaign has already begun implementing a new media strategy. The governor recently sat down with CNN for his first major interview outside conservative media, defending his 2024 bid and highlighting his success in Florida.
“I mean, the proof is in the pudding,” DeSantis told CNN host Jake Tapper. ”I mean, I took a state that had been a 1-point state, and we won it by 20 percentage points, 1.5 million votes. Our bread and butter were people like suburban moms.”
DeSantis is doubling down on targeting Iowa voters ahead of the Jan. 15 caucuses next year, emphasizing the progress his campaign has made.
However, the interview was overshadowed by news of a target letter sent to Trump by special counsel Jack Smith, who is investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, as well as a Fox News town hall featuring Trump.
Despite setbacks, DeSantis’s campaign remains tight-lipped about recent staffing problems. The team recently let go of several staffers, but their second-quarter report shows a strong fundraising performance.
“The media has tried to destroy Ron DeSantis’s campaign since day one because they are scared to death he will beat Joe Biden,” said Andrew Romeo in a statement. ”The Governor has never cowed to false media narratives and he isn’t about to start now. We won’t be deterred and are going to win the nomination.”
Trump allies criticized DeSantis’s CNN interview, suggesting that the campaign lacks a compelling message and an appealing candidate.
“The real story here is that the DeSantis campaign doesn’t know how to turn things around with their current candidate,” said Jason Miller, a Trump 2024 senior adviser. “DeSantis could have easily joined one of CNN’s high-profile primetime hosts and reached millions of new voters if he had something compelling to say, but with an unlikable candidate, no campaign message, and rapidly sinking poll numbers, the campaign is doing an afternoon hit that nobody will watch.”
Experts suggest that DeSantis needs to refine his message and present bold ideas to resonate with voters. Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker advises going lean and bold, emphasizing the importance of a strong campaign message and fundraising at the grassroots level.
Political scientist Jeffrey Lazarus believes that DeSantis will need to consistently attack Trump if he wants to secure the nomination.
“They’re trying to paint themselves as the alternative to Trump without actually saying anything about why DeSantis is better than Trump,” Lazarus said. “If you’re not going to attack the front-runner, you can’t win.”
Overall, DeSantis’s campaign is at a critical juncture, with calls for change and the need to redefine his message in order to stand out in the crowded field of Republican candidates.
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