Top advisers to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met with key donors and fundraisers over the weekend in Utah where they promised a new direction to jumpstart his fledgling White House bid. The retreat which was scheduled weeks ago but took on new urgency amid Desantis struggles to break out was described as part mea culpa part rallying cry. In a brainstorming session on Sunday his campaign also fielded suggestions from donors and bundlers on messaging and debate strategy including how to best handle former President Donald Trump ideas for debate oneliners. The change in direction comes after weeks of hand wringing overDeSantis failures to attract new support since announcing his campaign two months ago. Republican donors and others invested in finding an alternative to Trump have privately and sometimes publicly raised concerns about the governor’s insular political operation which is dominated by the governor his wife and a handful of devoted advisers who lack presidential race experience. The campaign has also acknowledged that it needs to cut costs as fundraising fell short of expectations and expenses have piled up. For a time the campaign considered whether he too should skip the first debate if Trump didnt show up multiple sources told . Now DeSantas political operation says it is embracing his position as an underdog. They are calling him an insurgent candidate with a heavier emphasis on getting DeSantes in front of voters at more intimate events especially in early states. A leaner meaner approach is going forward going forward after the campaign overextended itself on staff events and fundraising costs in the first months of the race after payroll costs and recent events have been scaled back with a significantly scaled back blueprint. The DeSantsas campaign recently cut at least $1.5 million from its payroll budget. If it has not pulled back on the schedule by the end of the first quarter of this year it has told donors that DeSanta’s campaign will not pull back on his schedule as much as it has this first quarter. The first debate is now seen as critical to move his poll numbers which have stalled in the low to mid percent range according to several recent national polls. The committee Never Back Down has already taken on an unusually heavy load that includes all of the television advertising and building out a campaign of door knockers and canvassers in earlyStates. Now they are also expected to host DeSnant’s events with the candidate appearing as a special guest. A lot of investors have a lot of great ideas so the team took note of those so we can continue to massage and refine them Iarossi said. The team knows they need to continue to raise more money and we must continue to do better. The plan is to lean more heavily on outside organizations likely a wellfunded supportive super PAC. A Florida lobbyist and fundraiser close to DeSanto’s political operation described those in attendance as from all over the country high level folks who supported a variety of candidates in the last presidential. Campaign manager Generra Peck pollster Ryan Tyson political director Sam Cooper and deputy campaign manager Ethan Eilon who provided a detailed look at the campaigns early fundraising and messaging troubles.
. DeSantis campaign pitches donors on ‘leaner,’ ‘insurgent’ campaign to beat Trump.
