Christina Pushaw has resigned from her job as press secretary for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and will now work as the rapid response director for the conservative Republican governor’s re-election campaign.
“For the last 15 months, I have been blessed to work with the most dedicated and talented public servants in the country, inspired by the Governor’s courage, leadership, and bold agenda,” Pushaw wrote in a resignation letter. “I thank Governor DeSantis, Chief of Staff James Uthmeier, and Communications Director Taryn Fenske for entrusting me with this responsibility. You gave me latitude to respond to media narratives in direct and often unconventional ways, allowing me to redefine this role for a leader whose actions speak for themselves.”
Pushaw told the Daily Wire that she will begin her new role on Monday, and that it will entail “communications and research.”
Bryan Griffin, who has been serving as DeSantis’s deputy press secretary, will now take on the press secretary job.
“It has been an honor to work with and learn from @ChristinaPushaw,” Griffin tweeted. “I look forward to serving @GovRonDeSantis and the people of Florida in this new role. Like Christina did so well, I will ensure the governor’s message is amplified and that false narratives are debunked.”
DeSantis, who has become an immensely popular figure on the political right, is currently seeking re-election during the Sunshine State’s gubernatorial election contest.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried are the most prominent candidates running in the state’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. Earlier this year, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) endorsed Crist.
Crist previously served as governor of Florida from early 2007 through early 2011 — he won the governorship as a Republican, then later lost a U.S. Senate bid while running as an independent in 2010. In 2014 Crist lost a Florida gubernatorial election while running as a Democrat.
“Now, the gloves are off,” Pushaw tweeted regarding her job shift. Pushaw, who is known for being an outspoken critic of the media, told the Daily Wire that the comment was a bit “tongue-in-cheek,” pointing out that she does not generally hold back when responding to the media.
“Traditionally for a state employee, you don’t have a lot of latitude,” Pushaw said, according to the outlet. “But I’ve been really fortunate to have that latitude to respond, to debunk those false narratives for more than a year that I’ve been here.”
“By the way, for the past 15 months, I have really enjoyed working with the reporters who truly want to get the facts and report fairly on Florida and @GovRonDeSantis,” Pushaw tweeted. “On here I call out the bad, but there are still some good ones… and I see you.”