DeSantis campaign shedding 38 staffers in bid to stay competitive through the fall

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is shaving more than a third of his campaign staff from the payroll in a move designed to keep him financially solvent into the fall. 

DeSantis, who is running in second place behind former President Donald Trump in most early-state primary and national polls but has slipped in recent surveys, has laid off 38 people since the start of the second quarter, his campaign confirmed Tuesday. 

"Following a top-to-bottom review of our organization, we have taken additional, aggressive steps to streamline operations and put Ron DeSantis in the strongest position to win this primary and defeat Joe Biden," campaign manager Generra Peck said in a statement. "Governor DeSantis is going to lead the Great American Comeback and we're ready to hit the ground running as we head into an important month of the campaign."