Jeff DeWit
Chair of the Arizona Republican Party
In office
January 28, 2023 – January 24, 2024
Preceded byKelli Ward
Succeeded byJill Norgaard (acting)
Chief Financial Officer of NASA
In office
April 3, 2018 – February 14, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byElizabeth Robinson
Succeeded byMelanie Saunders (acting)
43rd Treasurer of Arizona
In office
January 5, 2015 – April 3, 2018
GovernorDoug Ducey
Preceded byDoug Ducey
Succeeded byMark Swenson (Acting)
Eileen Klein
Personal details
Born (1972-12-21) December 21, 1972 (age 51)
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMarina DeWit
EducationUniversity of Southern
California (BS)

Jeffrey James DeWit[1] (born December 21, 1972) is an American businessman and politician who served as the chair of the Arizona Republican Party from January 2023 to January 2024. A member of the Republican Party, DeWit became the State Treasurer of Arizona in 2015, succeeding Doug Ducey. DeWit said in 2016 that he did not plan to seek re-election in 2018. In 2017, President Trump nominated him to be chief financial officer of NASA.[2] His nomination as chief financial officer of NASA was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2018. He resigned from NASA in February 2020 and joined Trump's 2020 campaign later that year.

Early life and education

DeWit received his degree in business administration and finance from the University of Southern California, and began his career in 1992 at Smith Barney Shearson. In 1999, DeWit started a stock trading company called ECHOtrade, serving as its CEO for over 14 years.[3]

Political career

Jeff DeWit with Governor Jan Brewer after winning the Republican primary for State Treasurer on August 26, 2014.
Jeff DeWit with his wife Marina speaking at a campaign rally for Donald Trump in Phoenix, Arizona.

In politics, DeWit has served as a Precinct Committeeman, State Committeeman, and was also appointed by the Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party to serve on the party's Redistricting Committee.[3]

In 2014, he sought the office of Treasurer for the state of Arizona, a position being vacated by Doug Ducey, who instead ran for Governor of Arizona after serving for one term. DeWit won the Republican primary in August, defeating former Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman and former state party Chairman Randy Pullen by a large margin. DeWit was unopposed in the general election, and was therefore the presumptive Treasurer of the State of Arizona.[4]

DeWit also served as the chair of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign in Arizona.[5] He said in 2016 that he had no plans to seek reelection at the end of his term as State Treasurer as he disliked the "favor-factory" mentality of established politicians, whose ranks he had no desire to join.[6]

DeWit was nominated by President Trump to become Chief Financial Officer of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on December 1, 2017. His nomination was returned unconfirmed to the President by the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2018, under Standing Rules of the United States Senate, Rule XXXI, paragraph 6.[7] The nomination was resubmitted to the Senate on January 8, 2018. He was confirmed by voice vote on March 14, 2018.[8] He took office on April 3, 2018.[9] DeWit resigned on February 13, 2020.[10][11]

On June 30, 2020, it was reported that DeWit was named the chief operating officer of the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign.[12][13][14][15]

State party chair

On January 28, 2023, DeWit was elected chair of the Arizona Republican Party.[16]

Kari Lake audio recording

On January 23, 2024, an audio recording of a conversation between DeWit and Kari Lake, the party's nominee for Arizona Governor in 2022 and party candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2024, was leaked.[17] In the recording, DeWit is heard offering Lake job opportunities, suggesting she take a break from politics.[17] After Lake refuses, DeWit asks her, "Is there a number at which..." To which Lake responds, "I can be bought? No." DeWit continues to ask for a "counter-offer".[17]

After the release of the audio recordings, Lake insisted DeWit should resign from his position in the Arizona Republican Party. DeWit complied, claiming Lake's team threatened to release another incriminating audio recording if he didn't.[17] Lake's advisers Caroline Wren and Garrett Ventry said on Twitter, "No one from the Kari Lake campaign threatened or blackmailed DeWit."[17]

DeWit resigned on January 24, 2024.[17]

Personal life

DeWit resides in Peoria, Arizona[18] with his wife, Marina and his three daughters.[3] As a part of his election campaign, his family appeared in a music video parody of Frozen.[19]

Electoral history

2014 Arizona State Treasurer election, Republican primary, 2014[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff DeWit 215,892 44.90
Republican Hugh Hallman 155,775 32.40
Republican Randy Pullen 108,106 22.49
Write-in 1,011 0.21
Total votes 480,784 100.00
Arizona State Treasurer election, 2014[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff DeWit 1,063,472 99.12
Write-in 9,461 0.88
Total votes 1,072,933 100.00
Republican hold

References

  1. ^ "Jeffrey James Dewit". Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "Jeff Dewitt, State Treasurer, Nominated By Trump To Be Nasa CFO". November 30, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "About Jeff DeWit". JeffDeWit.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
  4. ^ Ryman, Anne; Sexton, Connie Cone; Rau, Alia Beard (August 25, 2014). "Businessman Jeff DeWit wins GOP nomination for treasurer". The Republic. USA Today Network. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  5. ^ Trump taps Treasurer Jeff DeWit as state campaign chair
  6. ^ Sanchez, Yvonne Wingett (April 6, 2016). "Why state Treasurer Jeff DeWit won't run for re-election". Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  7. ^ "PN1285 — Jeffrey DeWit — National Aeronautics and Space Administration". U.S. Congress. January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  8. ^ "PN1357 — Jeffrey DeWit — National Aeronautics and Space Administration". U.S. Congress. January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  9. ^ "Departing Arizona treasurer offers advice on replacement". Miami Herald. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  10. ^ Wingett Sanchez, Yvonne; Nowicki, Dan (February 11, 2020). "Jeff DeWit, former state treasurer, announces exit from NASA, will return to Arizona". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  11. ^ Foust, Jeff (February 12, 2020). "NASA CFO DeWit to leave agency". SpaceNews. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  12. ^ Swan, Jonathan (June 30, 2020). "Scoop: Kushner changes top Trump campaign staff". Axios. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  13. ^ Fisher, Kristin; Calicchio, Dom (July 1, 2020). "Trump 2020 campaign reshuffles; Brad Parscale stays put". Fox News. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  14. ^ Lucey, Catherine (July 1, 2020). "Trump Campaign Reassigns Chief Operating Officer After Tulsa Rally". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  15. ^ Parker, Mario; Jacobs, Jennifer (June 30, 2020). "Trump Campaign Reshuffles Key Staff, Hiring Ex-NASA Official". Bloomberg News. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  16. ^ "Arizona Republicans pick former Trump official Jeff DeWit as next leader in landslide win". www.azcentral.com. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Hillyard, Vaughn; Gregorian, Dareh (January 24, 2024). "Arizona GOP chair resigns after Kari Lake bribery allegation, says she threatened him". NBC News. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  18. ^ True, ID. "ID True – Jeff Dewit". idtrue.com. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  19. ^ "Campaign 2014: The good, bad and weird". The Republic. August 24, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  20. ^ "Unofficial Results Primary Election". Arizona Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 2, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  21. ^ "Unofficial Results General Election". Arizona Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.

External links

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Political offices Preceded byDoug Ducey Treasurer of Arizona 2015–2018 Succeeded byMark SwensonActing Party political offices Preceded byKelli Ward Chair of the Arizona Republican Party 2023–2024 Succeeded byJill NorgaardActing
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