JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A political powerhouse in Jacksonville has climbed her way to the grand stage.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that Susie Wiles would be his new chief of staff.
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She has local ties to the River City, from working with two Jacksonville mayors, living in Ponte Vedra Beach and helping with prominent Florida Republicans’ campaigns.
Former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said he knows her well and calls the news “surreal.”
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“It’s just surreal to me that Susie Wiles, a person that I know personally, personally – that I consider a friend is the chief of staff for the president of the United States, it’s just like wow!” Curry said.
Curry said he has known Wiles for decades and is excited to hear she is becoming the first woman to ever be named White House chief of staff.
“When you see someone who reached the pinnacle of success, the chief of staff for the president of the United States is a big freaking deal – pardon my language,” Curry said. “The county depends on it. And people are like, ‘oh that happened over night,’ no. This is decades of work that Susie has put in relationships and just being steady and putting it in and being disciplined, and it demonstrates to me the American dream still pays off.”
LISTEN: Past Jacksonville mayors discuss working with Susie Wiles, next White House Chief of Staff
This is a powerful position that Curry said Wiles deserves.
“She is there to make sure the job is to get done and the principal is well represented, and their objectives and goals are accomplished, and that’s rare these days,” Curry said.
Wiles worked in the offices of former Jacksonville mayors John Delaney and John Peyton.
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She went from Duval County, then took on the state of Florida helping Rick Scott with his campaign 2010 and then with Governor Ron DeSantis in his campaign in 2018.
Curry said Wiles even helped with his campaign when he ran for mayor.
“Everybody in the metropolitan area should be celebrating this,” Curry said.
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With this local connection, Curry said it could have a positive influence on Jacksonville.
“To have a lifelong resident that was – not only lived here but entrenched in local politics for decades, that Susie wants Jacksonville to be successful, this is 1,000% good for our city,” Curry said.
It’s not just Republicans praising Wiles. Democratic congressman Jared Moskowitz, who worked in the DeSantis administration, called her “brilliant, tough, and strategic” and said she will serve the country well.
Democratic Jacksonville City Councilman Jimmy Peluso told Action News Jax he hopes Wiles will help guide Trump on policy making:
“As far as I know she has a perfect track record in campaigns, so I’ve always been terrified knowing she was working on Trump’s campaign.
“All of that to say, I’m told she’s incredible to work with once she’s on staff. And though I’m highly critical and concerned about Trump’s policies, I have hopes Susie will help iron them out and not cause nearly as much harm as some of us expected.”
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