Florida governor and Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis was involved in a car accident in Tennessee on Tuesday morning but is unhurt, a spokesperson for his campaign said.

The governor was in Chattanooga, Tennessee for campaign fundraisers.

His spokesperson, Bryan Griffin, said the accident happened when Mr DeSantis was traveling to an event.

Police said a female staff member received "minor injuries".

Chattanooga police received a call about the road crash at around 08:15 local time (13:15 BST). Four government cars were involved in the accident.

A spokesperson said officers were dispatched to the scene on the Interstate 75 near East Brainer Road, and that no one required treatment in hospital.

"The motorcade came up on slow traffic and the lead vehicle had to brake quickly, which caused a rear-end collision involving the other vehicles," a police spokesperson told the BBC in a statement.

Mr DeSantis' team did not share any further details about the incident.

"We appreciate the prayers and well wishes of the nation for his (Mr DeSantis) continued protection while on the campaign trail," his spokesperson said.

Mr DeSantis, 44, is vying for the Republican nomination in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, where he is expected to challenge former US president Donald Trump.

News of the accident comes as Mr DeSantis' White House campaign let go of more than a third of its staff amid concerns over finances.

The cuts will amount to a total of 38 jobs across various departments, and the step was taken to "streamline operations", his campaign manager, Generra Peck, said in a statement.

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Source:
courtesy of BBC NEWS

by Nadine Yousif | BBC News

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