Kristie Greco, a longtime aide to Rep. James Clyburn, will serve as communications director for the Democratic National Convention.
New Stance at Three Point
Three Point Media partners Mattis Goldman and Mo Elleithee will announce today that Clare Gannon has been named partner at the full-service strategic media firm.
Gannon previously served as vice president at political media firm Doak, Carrier, O’Donnell, Goldman & Associates and in 2004 was deputy national press secretary at the Democratic National Committee.
She has worked for candidates in Rhode Island, Iowa, California and New Mexico.
Early State Hires
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney hired Sara Craig to serve as Iowa state director on his presidential campaign-in-waiting. Craig served as Romney’s central Iowa field director on his 2008 campaign and was western Iowa field director for the state GOP in 2006.
Romney also brought on veteran public relations consultant Mark DeMoss as a senior adviser. The Philadelphia native is president of the DeMoss Group.
Former Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman hired Joel Sawyer as his South Carolina state director, CNN reported. Sawyer resigned as executive director of the state GOP and announced the move in an email to the party’s executive committee. He previously served as communications director and speechwriter for former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum also announced new hires. Jamie Johnson was hired as Iowa state coalitions director, where she will manage Santorum’s statewide coalitions and grass-roots efforts. And Ames native April Baylor will serve as assistant to Iowa State Director Cody Brown.
In New Hampshire, Kristin Beaulieu and Tyler Carlisle were brought on as field representatives.
Pawlenty’s Youth Movement
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty made his first South Carolina staffing hire and also added a top Iowa staffer.
As CNN first reported, Pawlenty hired Kurt Pickhardt, most recently operations director for the South Carolina GOP, as state political director. CNN noted Pawlenty was “bypassing the traditional route of hiring an entrenched political consultant to help steer the primary operation,” looking instead to youth.
Pawlenty also hired former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker to chair his Iowa Steering Committee. MinnPost.com reported Pawlenty played up Whitaker’s role as a tight end on the 1991 Iowa Hawkeyes team that played in the Rose Bowl, losing 46-34 to the Washington Huskies.
What’s in a Name
Ryan Erwin & Associates and Casteel, Erwin & Associates announced Sunday that they are unifying the firms and will now be known as RedRock Strategies.
The firm’s office locations remain the same: Las Vegas, where Ryan Erwin is based; Austin, Texas, where Corbin Casteel is based; and Washington, D.C.
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Lois Lerner, director of exempt organizations for the IRS, arrives for a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on the investigation of the IRS' targeting of political groups. Lerner invoked her Fifth Amendment right to not testify and caused a protest from some committee members when she offered an opening statement and engaged in dialogue with members before invoking the right.
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