White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs (left) will exit, and Biden spokesman Jay Carney will step up to the podium.
Hawkeye State Hires
The Republican Party of Iowa is transitioning to new staff following the 2010 cycle. Under Chairman Matt Strawn, the state party will serve as a referee of sorts in the Hawkeye State’s first-in-the-nation Republican presidential caucus.
Chad Olsen was hired as executive director to replace Jim Anderson. During the 2010 election cycle, Olsen managed the party’s voter contact program. In the 2008 cycle, he started as state director for former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson’s short-lived presidential campaign and then transitioned to the state party after Thompson dropped out.
New Communications Director Casey Mills is a veteran of Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley’s Senate office and 2010 re-election campaign.
Ryan Gough and Patrick Stewart came to the state party from the Republican National Committee’s political department during the 2010 cycle. Going forward, they will serve as organization director and data director, respectively.
Treasure State Hires
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) hired Preston Elliott as his campaign manager. In previous cycles, Elliott has done field work in Montana, Alaska and Nevada, and was deputy political director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in the 2008 cycle.
Tester challenger Rep. Denny Rehberg (R) hired Brian Barrett as communications director. Barrett was campaign manager last year for Jeff Miller (R), who lost to Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), and previously worked on a campaign for Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). Longtime Rehberg Chief of Staff Erik Iverson has worked as a general consultant for Rehberg’s House campaign for the past two years and is continuing in that role for the time being as Rehberg ramps up his Senate campaign.
Briefly Noted
• Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) hired his 2006 campaign manager, Paul Johnson, to run his 2012 re-election campaign, according to KETV in Omaha. Johnson has also managed campaigns for former Sen. Bob Kerrey and former Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey.
• Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn assembled a top team of consultants as she considers seeking the California seat of Rep. Jane Harman (D). Politico reported that John Shallman will be Hahn’s general consultant, Joe Trippi will handle media, John Fairbank will be her pollster and Stephanie Daily Smith will handle fundraising.
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A man from Kentucky attends a Tea Party Patriots rally on the West Front of the Capitol to protest the IRS' targeting of conservative political groups.
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