(NewsNation) — The press secretary for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office has announced his resignation from the role as he will be moving to the governor’s political operations.
Bryan Griffin’s resignation comes as DeSantis’ political operation was seen moving locations Monday. Both moves are the clearest sign yet that DeSantis may soon throw his hat into the ring for the 2024 Republican presidential primary.
The office move triggers a countdown for DeSantis to submit financial disclosure reports; if he is running, he has 15 days to file under guidelines set by the Federal Election Commission.
As for Griffin, he confirmed to NewsNation that he will be moving from the governor’s office to DeSantis’ political campaign operations.
“I believe that Governor DeSantis is the only leader who can see us to victory at this critical moment in American history. Because of this, I am stepping away from this role to pursue other avenues of helping to deliver the governors success to our country,” Griffin said.
Speculation has been swirling around DeSantis for some time, as he is one of the strong front runners to challenge former President Donald Trump. Once allies, the two have traded insults as the 2024 campaign draws closer.
If he officially declares his candidacy, DeSantis will be the eighth Republican running in the primary. Aside from Trump, most of the declared candidates are considered long shots, with the exception of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.