‘He’s Just Not a Natural Candidate’: Longtime GOP Operative Torches DeSantis’ People Skills on CNN After Quitting Campaign PAC

A longtime GOP operative who recently quit Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ (R-FL) campaign PAC aired out his criticisms of the candidate on CNN.

In an interview with Alisyn Camerota on Monday’s CNN Tonight, the veteran operative — Ed Rollins — was unsparing in his assessment of the Florida governor’s presidential candidacy.

“Presidential campaigns are totally different,” Rollins said. “And it’s about going out and talking to people. It’s not about preaching to people. You’ve got to talk to them. … Political people, particularly in places like Iowa, New Hampshire, they expect you to come out and listen to them.”

From there, the longtime operative went on to criticize the governor’s people skills.

“He’s just not a natural candidate,” Rollins said. And unfortunately, I have nothing against him as a governor. I think we’ve got some great, great governors that are running for president. But I just don’t think he’s the guy that’s going to beat [Donald] Trump, and Trump, at this point in time, is stronger than he’s ever been.”

“So DeSantis is, it sounds like you’re saying, not exactly a people person.” Camerota said.

“He’s not a people person,” Rollins said, concurring.

Rollins went on to say DeSantis “makes dumb moves” — referring specifically to the recent dismissal of one-third of his campaign staff due to budget constraints.

“You don’t lay off a third of your staff a week before you’re going to announce in Iowa,” Rollins said. “You wait a couple of weeks. You spread them out.”

The operative’s comments to CNN come on the heels of similar remarks to Rolling Stone. DeSantis, in a Monday night interview on Fox News, was asked about the operative’s criticisms.

“It’s obviously nonsense,” DeSantis told Fox News. “I mean, I came into a state that had been decided by one point for a generation. … I govern boldly. I govern unapologetically. I delivered big results, and we won by 20 points. You don’t win a state like Florida that big if you’re not doing things that are resonating.”

Watch above, via CNN.

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