Trump campaign brings in longtime political operative to lead Florida effort

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is bringing on Brian Hughes, a longtime Florida political operative who recently worked for Jacksonville’s Republican mayor, to lead its campaign operation in the Sunshine State.

Hughes confirmed the news in a text message but referred questions to the Trump campaign. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond for comment. The news was first reported by Florida Politics.

The decision by Hughes to join Trump’s campaign represents yet another hire by the former president’s operation who has ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is also vying for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Hughes was one of the political consultants who helped with DeSantis’ initial campaign for Congress back in 2012 but did not work with him on any subsequent campaigns.

One of Trump’s top advisers, Susie Wiles, also formerly worked for DeSantis. DeSantis hired Wiles in 2018 after she helped Trump win the state in 2016 and lead Rick Scott’s first successful campaign for governor.

Wiles was credited for helping stabilize the governor’s operation and guide DeSantis to a narrow win over Democrat Andrew Gillum in 2018. But Wiles and DeSantis had a notable falling out in 2019 when, at the governor’s urging, she was pushed out of Trump’s 2020 campaign and pressured to leave Ballard Partners, one of the state’s premier lobbying firms. Trump, however, later brought Wiles back into his orbit just months ahead of his campaign for reelection even though the move angered DeSantis.

Florida’s Republican presidential primary is scheduled for March 19, a date that puts it behind the early states and Super Tuesday. But it is also a winner-take-all primary that could give the winning candidate a decisive edge in capturing the nomination.

Hughes has spent the past eight years working hand-in-hand with Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, a former Republican Party of Florida chair, and had risen to the position of chief administrative officer for the city.

Curry left office due to term limits. Republicans had hoped to hold on to the position but Democrat Donna Deegan scored an upset in May over the GOP candidate endorsed by DeSantis.

DeSantis, however, did not do any events with Republican Daniel Davis in the closing days of the campaign, a move that irked some Jacksonville Republicans.