Potomac Flacks

Santorum Aide Haley Named Press Secretary for Ann Romney

First reported by ABC News, the Romney campaign has “hired a new press secretary to handle the schedule of Ann Romney, an indication that the 63-year-old grandmother of 18 will soon be ramping up her public schedule.”

“Sarah Haley, formerly of Sen. Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign, where she served as the national coalitions director as well as the director of communications for Karen Santorum, has been picked for the job."

Previously, Haley served as the spokeswoman for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and at Fox News Channel.

Haley is a graduate of the University of Memphis and a native of Germantown, TN.  (ABC News)

Henneberg to Romney as Regional Press Secretary

According to Politico’s “Playbook,” Amanda Henneberg, a respected and well-liked communications professional who has done previous stints with the office of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Republican National Committee and the 2008 presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), has joined the Mitt Romney presidential campaign as a Regional Press Secretary. 

She had been serving most recently as Communications Director for freshman Rep. Robert Hurt (R-VA) after serving as a spokeswoman on his successful challenger campaign against then-incumbent Rep. Tom Periello (D-VA).  Last cycle, Henneberg also served as Press Secretary for the U.S. Senate campaign of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist when he was seeking the Republican nomination, but left when he decided to become an independent.

According to Playbook, she’ll “oversee many important states, including Iowa, South Carolina and Michigan.”

Henneberg is a native of Falls Church, VA.  (Politico’s “Playbook”)

BREAKING: Cain Flack Carmichael Named Communications Director for Tea Party Star Freshman Rep. Raul Labrador

First reported in the Idaho Statesman, U.S. Representative Raúl Labrador (R-ID) announced today that Ellen Carmichael has joined his Capitol Hill staff as Communications Director.

Carmichael most recently served as the Communications Director (and primary spokeswoman) for Herman Cain’s presidential campaign for more than a year.

Carmichael previously served as Communications Director for the Renee Ellmers for Congress campaign, as Media and Projects Manager for the Southern Republican Leadership Conference, as Lousiana State Coordinator for Americans for Prosperity, and as a consultant for political non-profit organizations.

Carmichael is a graduate of Louisiana State University and is a native of Baton Rouge, LA. (Idaho Statesman; PF reporting)

EXCLUSIVE: Bachmann’s Congressional Spokesman Sachtleben Departs

Doug Sachtleben, Communications Director for Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), announced late Friday that he was departing her office to serve in the same role for Rep. John Fleming (R-LA).

Sachtleben said Press Secretary Becky Rogness was remaining in the office, implying that she would handle media inquiries.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Sachtleben was also serving (part time) as Deputy Press Secretary on her presidential campaign since July 2011. 

Sachtleben said, “ I leave Rep. Bachmann’s office with nothing but the highest regard for Michele. It has been a pleasure working for her and I continue to admire and appreciate her unwavering conservatism.”

Sachtleben formerly worked as a communications aide at the House Republican Conference and as a correspondent at SRN News.

He’s a native of Clifton, NJ and a graduate of Temple University.  (PF reporting)

Former Pawlenty Presidential Campaign Aide Dunn Heads to Sen. Burr’s Office

Caitlin Dunn is the new Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC).

Dunn recently worked for former Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s (R-MN) campaign and PAC.  Previously, she worked for Douglas Holtz-Eakin on the 2008 McCain-Palin campaign followed by a year in Senator John McCain’s (R-AZ) official office.  (PF tipster)

Alex Conant goes Rubio

Alex Conant, who served as spokesman for Tim Pawlenty's presidential campaign, will become Sen. Marco Rubio's press secretary starting Oct. 3. Before Pawlenty, Conant worked for Sen. John Thune and in the George W. Bush White House Office of Media Affairs.

‘He is a skilled and experienced communicator who will be a great asset to me in the Senate as we work to create jobs, tackle the debt and keep America safe,’ Rubio said.”

Read more about Rubio's great hire here. (Politico's Mike Allen)

RNC Names Davis Communications Director for 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa

First reported in the Washington Post’s “The Fix” column, James Davis, a well-travelled and well regarded Republican communicator, has been named Communications Director for the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa.  Davis starts in Tampa Oct. 10.

Davis had been serving at corporate and crisis PR firm Brunswick Group, and at Gibraltar Associates before that.

He is a convention veteran, serving as Associate Director of Communications at the 2008 Convention in St. Paul, MN.

Earlier in his career Davis worked as Deputy Director of Media Affairs at the Republican National Committee.  He also served as a researcher at the Department of Defense under Secretary Don Rumsfeld.

Davis is a native of Vidalia, GA.  (Washington Post’s “The Fix”)

Bachmann Hires Veteran Iowa Operative Woolson to Lead Communications for Iowa Caucus

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) recently announced that her team has retained Iowa campaign veteran Eric Woolson to lead its communications efforts in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.

Woolson managed Gov. Mike Huckabee's (R-AR) campaign in Iowa in 2008, and most recently, he was a senior adviser to the presidential campaign of former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN). With more than 20 years of experience as a print journalist in Iowa, Woolson went on to serve as Gov. Terry Branstad's (R-IA) Communications Director and Press Secretary.

Prior to his service in the governor's office, Woolson was the Iowa Communications Director for George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign, and served on the communications teams of the previous three Republican National Conventions. In 2010, he provided counsel to Iowa gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats and congressional candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks in addition to serving as the spokesman for Sen. Charles Grassley's (R-IA) re-election campaign.  (PF tipster)

Santorum Campaign Announces Communications Team

The presidential campaign of former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) today announced their senior communications team for 2012:

John Brabender will serve as a Senior Advisor and Media Consultant to the campaign.  In addition to serving as Senator Santorum's media consultant since his first congressional race in 1990, Brabender, Chief Creative Officer of BrabenderCox,a Republican media firm that has worked with Governor Tom Corbett (R-PA), Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Sen. Tom oburn (R-OK).

Virginia Davis will serve as a Senior Communications Advisor and Spokeswoman for the Senator, providing strategic communications advice to the campaign.  Davis previously served as Press Secretary to Senator Santorum's 2006 Senate campaign, as well as a Communications Advisor to his America's Foundation PAC from 2007 - 2011.  Prior to joining Sen. Santorum's team, Davis served as Press Secretary to Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Deputy Press Secretary to Sen. John Thune's (R-SD) 2002 campaign.

Matthew Beynon will serve as Deputy Communications Director to the campaign, where he will implement the campaign's overall media and policy strategy, serve as the primary point of contact for all media requests, and handle Sen. Santorum's national media outreach.  Beynon previously served as a legislative aide to Sen. Santorum from 2003 - 2007.  Since leaving Sen. Santorum's Capitol Hill office, Beynon has served as an advisor to the Senator's America's Foundation PAC and a consultant with a Pittsburgh-based management consulting firm.

Leading Senator Santorum's new media operations will be emotive, llc, led by Peter Pasi.  Emotive has earned a reputation as one of the most creative e-campaign consulting teams in politics today.  Emotive's previous clients include Governor John Kasich, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican National Committee, the Club for Growth, and American Crossroads.

Seth Leibsohn, who was announced earlier this year as Director of Policy and Speechwriting, will also be a part of the communications team.  (PF tipster)

Former Huckabee Flack Stewart Named National Press Secretary for Bachmann

First reported in the Washington Post’s “Afternoon Fix”, Alice Stewart has been named National Press Secretary for the all-but-announced president campaign of Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

Bachmann had previously announced the hiring of two other former Huckabee aides, senior strategist Ed Rollins and Iowa staffer Wes Enos.

Stewart is leaving her job as Deputy Director of Public Affairs for Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin.  She is a former news anchor in Little Rock, AR and Savannah, GA.

Last cycle she managed the U.S. Senate campaign of Gilbert Baker (R-AR). 

Stewart is a native of Atlanta and a graduate of the University of Georgia.  (Washington Post’s “Afternoon Fix”)