John McCain shakes up staff, preps for primary

[ccharles000]

Sen. John McCain is shaking up his campaign leadership team as the Arizona Republican readies for an all-out ground fight in his closely watched GOP primary battle against former Rep. J.D. Hayworth.

Campaign manager Shiree Verdone is moving to a 2010 "Republican Victory" fundraising operation. Mike Hellon, a former Arizona Republican Party chairman who had a part-time role as deputy campaign manager, will join her there.

Neither Verdone nor Hellon was fired, said Brian Rogers, McCain's campaign spokesman, who confirmed the staff changes Friday in a statement to The Arizona Republic.

"As part of the campaign's plan for this election year, Shiree and Mike are transitioning over to work with party committees to create a ticket-wide Republican Victory operation," Rogers said. "At Victory, they'll work to raise money and organize for the statewide general election, which is vitally important to help Republican candidates win up and down the ballot all across Arizona. Senator McCain is very grateful for all that Shiree and Mike have done to launch the re-election campaign and establish it on a firm footing, and looks forward to working closely with them for Victory in November."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/05/16/20100516john-mccain-arizona-republican.html

[tanyev]

1. When is that danged primary anyway?

Just complete the danged vote!

[whyverne]

2. I won't miss the old lying basterd, but I worry the new guy will be worse.

I don't care anymore about his service and his POW hardships. I can never forgive him for what he said about ACORN during the campaign.

McCain brought up ACORN at the candidates' final debate on Oct. 15, 2008, saying that ACORN was "on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy."

He knew that was a lie.

[karynnj]

3. Actually won't this give McCain more real resources in the primary

His people will be running the state organization. This signals that the state party, which took them, expects McCain to be the candidate. I assume that they and the people who will report to them will subtly help McCain.