DeSantis hires veteran GOP operative for 2022 reelection campaign: report

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) has reportedly hired veteran GOP operative Phil Cox for his 2022 reelection campaign. 

Cox, former head of the Republican Governors Association, was picked by DeSantis to be a senior-level adviser on his team and lead his 2022 reelection campaign, Politico reported on Saturday.

“Phil is an incredibly talented and trusted operative who has played a key role in dozens of successful gubernatorial campaigns over the last decade. Gov. DeSantis is well positioned heading into his reelection campaign, and Phil is an excellent addition to his operation,” RGA Executive Director Dave Rexrode said in a statement to Politico.

DeSantis has seen his star rise in conservative circles since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. A poll earlier this month found his approval had gone up to 53 percent in the state.

Polls have also found that DeSantis has a lead against hypothetical Democratic opponents Nikki Fried, the state agriculture commissioner, and Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.).

Although DeSantis has not said he’s planning to run for president in 2024, some in the Republican Party see him as a potential successor to former President Trump. 

The Hill has reached out to DeSantis’s office for comment.