CLEVELAND – Susie Wiles was chief of staff for two Jacksonville mayors, ran Rick Scott's first campaign for governor and is well-known across the state as a grassroots leader and a campaign strategist who succeeds. She also has an impressive national reputation among political insiders, so it raised eyebrows when she joined Donald Trump's campaign a year ago.
"I just believe that Washington is very badly broken. And as I looked at the field -- all good people, all good patriots -- I didn't see a person who could shake it up other than Donald Trump," Wiles said.
Unlike most people who have spent years in the Republican establishment, the Jacksonville resident said she had a good feeling about Trump from the beginning. She said he was a background similar to Scott's -- a candidate with no political resume with success in the business world.
"Both of them wanted to make a difference -- one for their state, one for their nation -- and change the status quo that wasn't working for regular people," Wiles said. "So I do see some similarities there."
Wiles was not surprised that Trump broke traditions at the Republican National Convention, including appearing each night.
"And if you didn't know that until last night, you haven't been paying good attention," Wiles said. "This has been a very different cycle and the usual protocol is a little bit shaken up this time."
While many claim there's unity now in the Republican Party, people are still talking about the lack of a clear endorsement for Trump by former rival Ted Cruz. Trump didn't seem bothered by that, tweeting "whatever."
Wiles is also not worried, believing Trump can win people over who still have reservations.
"Nobody that I know agrees with every single word that comes out of a candidate's mouth. That's certainly true of me and of the Trump campaign," Wiles said. "However, his larger vision, which is restoring our country's greatness, I think people will overlook the little things ... in order to get us back as a nation to where we need to be and get our federal government to function again."