Ron DeSantis, seeking to rejuvenate his campaign, has fired campaign manager Generra Peck, replacing her with his former gubernatorial chief of staff, James Uthmeier. Although Peck has been replaced, she will remain as the campaign’s chief strategist. Uthmeier’s appointment comes with the addition of David Polyansky from the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down. According to the campaign’s communications director, Andrew Romeo, these changes aim to put DeSantis in the best position to win the primary and face Joe Biden in the election, emphasizing a desire to reverse the nation’s decline.
Peck, who was instrumental in DeSantis’s 2022 reelection, lacks national campaign experience, and Uthmeier has never managed a campaign at the state or national level. Meanwhile, Polyansky brings valuable experience, having worked on the 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns of Mike Huckabee and Michele Bachmann and as a consultant thereafter.
The reshuffling comes at a critical time for the DeSantis campaign, which has been struggling in the polls and is currently engaged in a reset, laying off staff and seeking more exposure through mainstream media. Since joining the race in late May, DeSantis has slipped 5.5 points in the FiveThirtyEight polling average, and the lead held by former President Donald Trump over the governor has expanded from 34 to 38 points. These significant changes to the campaign team reflect DeSantis’s efforts to regain momentum and resonate with voters across the country.
