Campaign Almanac: Ron DeSantis’ allies making hires, including in Iowa

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet officially announced his presidential campaign, but his political allies are making hires designed to help him hit the Iowa campaign trail running, if and when he does announce, according to a national news report.

The New York Times reported that Sophie Crowell, who managed Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s successful 2022 re-election campaign, is now working for the state party in Florida. Some of those state party staffers are expected to be hired by DeSantis’ presidential campaign when he officially announces, the Times reported.

And a pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, has hired Tyler Campbell in Iowa, the Times reported. Campbell was the campaign manager for Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig and now runs a political consulting firm, FIN Strategies, in Des Moines.

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DeSantis made his first trip of the cycle to Iowa last month, holding events in Des Moines and Davenport. He is scheduled to return next month to appear at a fundraiser with western Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra.

Ramaswamy hiring in Iowa

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Ohio entrepreneur and Republican presidential candidate, has hired former Iowa Senate President Jake Chapman as his campaign’s state co-chair, the campaign announced.

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Chapman served three terms in the Iowa Senate was Senate president in 2021 and 2022. He was the state co-chair for the 2016 campaign of Republican Iowa caucus winner Ted Cruz.

The Ramaswamy campaign also announced the hiring of Kimberly Gleason as state adviser and Gavin Humble as state director. Gleason has been a policy adviser to the Iowa Senate president, and Humble has worked on multiple campaigns, including for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.