CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in a car crash Tuesday morning while en route to a campaign event in Tennessee, his spokesperson said in a statement.
Press secretary Bryan Griffin said DeSantis was not injured in the crash as they traveled in a motorcade to Chattanooga.
WTVC-TV reported that as traffic slowed down on southbound Interstate 75, four cars in the governor's motorcade ended up hitting each other. One staff member suffered a minor injury, the TV station said.
The statement from the governor's team about the crash reads:
"This morning, the governor was in a car accident while traveling to an event in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He and his team are uninjured.
"We appreciate the prayers and well wishes of the nation for his continued protection while on the campaign trail."
DeSantis and his aides continued to the campaign event following the crash. His team did not answer questions when asked about additional details, including the extent of injuries and damage.
DeSantis was scheduled to hold events throughout central and eastern Tennessee, where he has been focusing a lot of attention in his recent campaigning. Earlier this month, he addressed more than 1,800 attendees at a state GOP dinner in Nashville.
The Republican candidate has been attending a string of fundraisers lately as his campaign has faced some surprising financial pressures.
He was in Utah over the weekend holding fundraisers and in New York last week for an event in the Hamptons.
Just two months after entering the race, DeSantis already has been cutting staff while facing new questions about his aggressive spending, his media strategy and his apparent willingness to brawl with any and all foes except for Trump, the one person he must defeat to claim the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination.
DeSantis’ team has quietly expressed confidence for months that voters would eventually tire of Trump’s escalating legal troubles and personal baggage. But that same baggage, playing out in the U.S. legal system just as the GOP primary intensifies, is leaving precious little oxygen for his rivals to break through. And Trump’s standing with Republican primary voters seems to be growing stronger with every new legal challenge.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.