Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has assembled his final campaign team ahead of today’s presidential run announcement, enlisting a mix of battle-tested strategists and committed political allies.
The White House push will be helmed by seasoned campaign maestro Generra Peck, who guided DeSantis to a 20-point clubbing of Democratic gubernatorial challenger Charlie Crist in November.
Known as a savvy political tactician, Peck is close to both Desantis and his wife, Casey Desantis, and was lauded by name at the Floridian’s January inauguration.
David Abrams, former communications director for New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, will handle the campaign’s messaging and paid media initiatives. Abrams also worked on former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s 2016 presidential effort.
DeSantis will tap his former congressional chief of staff Dustin Carmack as his policy director. He was previously chief of staff for the director of national intelligence during the Trump administration.
Known for his hawkish positions on China, Carmack left a position with the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank — where he specialized in cybersecurity — to reunite with DeSantis.
Influential Florida pollster Ryan Tyson, a longtime member of DeSantis’ insular inner circle, will serve as a senior advisor.
Jason Johnson, who previously served as an advisor to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and worked on Ted Cruz’s congressional and presidential campaigns, will join Tyson as a senior advisor.
Willing Twitter pugilist Bryan Griffin, known for spirited social media tussles with reporters as DeSantis’ gubernatorial press secretary, will step into the same role for the presidential campaign.
Lauren Lifstrom, who handled finances for Cruz’s 2016 campaign, will oversee the books for DeSantis’ DC push.
Carl Seusa, who established the WinRed digital fundraising platform that piled more than $1 billion for GOP candidates in 2020, will serve as Chief Technology Officer.
DeSantis’ campaign faces an uphill challenge, with their candidate trailing former President Donald Trump in most polls.
But those close to the governor expect that margin to melt once DeSantis makes his candidacy official and goes on the offensive against his former ally turned rival.
Ken Cuccinelli, founder of the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down, told the Post last week that Trump’s advantage will prove fleeting as high profile GOP endorsements begin to mount.
The GOP firebrand will announce his entry into the race during a Twitter Spaces appearance with Elon Musk at 6 p.m., followed by appearance on conservative pundit Mark Levin’s radio show and other media spots.
The campaign is also launching a donation blitz during a two-day fundraising event at the Four Seasons hotel in Miami.