The Cottington Group, a Republican general consulting, fundraising and direct-mail firm, has relaunched as the Voyageur Company.

“We chose the name to honor our upper Midwestern heritage and an ideal — experienced travelers working together toward a common goal,” Scott Cottington said in a statement.

“We’ve added some serious creative muscle to our team. We offer a full range of integrated communications products to our clients — political mail, fund raising mail, media, and design,” he said.

The past and current client list of the firm based in Minnesota and Washington, D.C., includes governors and more than three dozen Members of Congress, such as former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), who are now running for president.

Team members include Cottington, a general consultant whose more than three decades in politics includes two stints as political director at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, time spent as field director at the National Republican Congressional Committee and a period as campaign manager for then-Sen. Rudy Boschwitz’s (R-Minn.) 1984 re-election campaign.

Others with decades of experience on the team include Darold Bauer, who specializes in fundraising, and Tim Berkness, who is president of Pinnacle Direct and focuses on mail and database development.

Eric Cullen directs strategic and creative efforts, Derek Brigham specializes in creative presentation, design and digital marketing and Tyler Richter directs and produces media for the company.

Barnett Jumps in Brown’s Boat

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) announced on Monday that Jim Barnett will serve as his campaign manager. Barnett is the former chairman of the Vermont Republican Party and served as New Hampshire state director for Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) bid for the White House.

“Scott Brown is a refreshing political figure. He is honest and hardworking, and votes based on what is best for the people he represents,” Barnett said in a statement.

Brown faces a tough re-election battle in the Democratic Bay State.

Leaving the Biz

Shawn McCoy is leaving his position as communications director for Texas Senate candidate Tom Leppert to pursue an MBA at the University of Chicago.

McCoy served as a spokesman for Leppert from February to July as he transitioned from his position as Dallas mayor to a Senate candidate. McCoy, who served as deputy communications director for Connecticut Senate candidate Linda McMahon last cycle, plans to start a business outside of politics once he graduates.

Daniel Keylin will serve as a press contact for the Leppert campaign, while campaign manager Josh Kivett is taking over temporarily as the campaign’s chief spokesman.

Adding a Political Arm

Jason Fitzgerald, political director for freshman Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.), is starting a full-service consulting division at JDM Consultants, which is primarily an engineering and environmental services firm based in Pennsylvania.

Penn Strategies will operate independently of JDM Consultants and comes in response to the firm’s successful work in recent local primaries for district judge, county commissioner and city council races.

“Penn Strategies is a premier political consulting, government affairs, and public relations firm with a proven record of achieving success for our clients,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “I look forward to significantly growing this up-and-coming firm.”

Stacking the Deck

Upper Deck trading card company co-founder Bill Hemrick has signed on as Tennessee finance director for Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-Minn.) presidential campaign.

“His credentials as an entrepreneur are second to none, his devotion to conservative principles is unrivaled, and Bill’s commitment to ensure a strong America for generations to come makes him the right man for our team in Tennessee,” Bachmann said in a statement.

Hemrick started the National Fiscal Conservative PAC, a political action committee established to promote fiscally conservative candidates.

From Rubio to Romney

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney hired Bertica Cabrera-Morris as a senior adviser and Jay Demetree as Florida finance co-chairman and a member of the campaign’s national leadership team.

Both worked for Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-Fla.) 2010 campaign, and Demetree is also currently chairing the finance committee of Florida GOP Senate candidate Adam Hasner.

DSCC Adds Policy Director

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has hired Anna Chu as policy director for the 2012 cycle.

Chu most recently served in the office of House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (Conn.), where she managed Congressional task forces on a series of policy issues.

Last cycle, Chu also assisted the Democratic National Committee’s Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders task force. She previously practiced law in San Francisco and served as a federal law clerk in New York City.

Nairi Hourdajian served as the DSCC policy director in the 2010 cycle. Hourdajian is now director of public affairs at the Glover Park Group.

Joshua Miller contributed to this report.

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