No one can deny that Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-Fla. ) campaign for president didn’t make quite the impact that his most passionate supporters expected. DeSantis’ 2024 campaign has been a disappointment, and the movement is now promising to change its direction.
Politico reported that officials from the campaign spoke to some donors over the weekend about the changes the DeSantis team has made after the first weeks of his bid for the White House. The campaign has made some changes to its approach, including spending more wisely – a concern for many donors – and making DeSantis easier to reach on the campaign trail.
Alex Isenstadt of Politico writes: “DeSantis’ campaign director Generra Peck told around 70 top donors at the Stein Eriksen Lodge, Deer Valley in Utah, that money was spent on ineffective operations and that going forward, the campaign will adopt a leaner ‘insurgent” posture.”
Peck did not lay out new strategies for the donors and lobbyists present, but Isenstadt writes, “She indicated everything would be put on the table.” In recent weeks, the DeSantis Campaign has lost some staff, including two key employees who have moved to pro-DeSantis activities outside the campaign apparatus.
The Sunday event was part of a retreat lasting a whole weekend, which included strategy sessions and dinners honoring campaign contributors. Isenstadt reported that attendees told him the retreat cemented Peck as the leader of the campaign, even though Team DeSantis was addressing concerns over tactics and spending.
One attendee stated, “The most important thing everyone realized is that the first family’s complete trust in Generra and his team.” The team will continue to evaluate, be flexible, and make necessary changes. But the team and the donors are behind her. “This insurgent campaign is going to make us more efficient moving forward.”
Isenstadt reports that “DeSantis’ campaign has been criticized because it has shunned mainstream media, relied on an overstaffed team of more than 90 staffers, and has depleted the campaign’s finances.” Attendees reported that Peck informed the group the governor intended to run as more of an outsider by doing more smaller media events.
Insiders in the campaign praised DeSantis for his recent CNN interview, which he conducted with Jake Tapper. They also suggested that other mainstream media outlets may follow. Staffers discussed the possibility that DeSantis might soon release additional policy statements.
Nick Iarossi, a lobbyist, and fundraiser, said: “Let Ron just be Ron.” “That’s how he got here.” “It’s why he became the Florida leader he is today.” “We’re going to go back to the basics on all of this.”
DeSantis’ team has plenty of time to change the direction of his campaign. With the right strategy, DeSantis could win over enough GOP voters looking for an alternative to Trump. You know that we will be watching what the Republican candidates for 2024 are doing.
