Harry Mitchell realigns staff for 2008
October 27th, 2007, 11:27 am · Post a Comment · posted by Paul Giblin
Harry Mitchell
We already knew Rep. Harry Mitchell hired former newsman Robbie Sherwood to become his state director starting next month. Here’s the skinny on the rest of the staff moves on Mitchell’s staff.
When Mitchell, a freshman Democrat, arrived in Washington, he hired Capitol Hill veteran Gene Fisher as his chief of staff. Fisher had the resume. He previously had served as chief of staff for Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., and as legislative director for Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich.
After helping Mitchell build an office staff and helping the former Mayor of Tempe become familiar with Washington protocol during his first year, Fisher announced that he planned to join his wife in retirement.
Sounds simple enough. But here are some other considerations Fisher may have pondered…
Pastor’s and Kilpatrick’s districts are Democratic strongholds. In contrast, Mitchell’s district is a Republican-leaning district with a Democratic representative. The 5th District takes in Scottsdale, Tempe, Fountain Hills, Ahwatukee Foothills and west Mesa, which together offer more Republican voters than Democratic voters. To keep their jobs, Mitchell and his staff will have to re-earn them every two years. Mitchell may never have an easy re-election.
A chief of staff in such a district naturally would find himself far more involved in one-on-one constituent work than a chief of staff in no-contest district. So if a Capitol Hill veteran like Fisher is thinking about retiring anyway, why stick around for a long election year? Eat the cake, accept everyone’s thanks and warm wishes, and get the hell out while the work days still end before the late news programs begin.
Of course, I could be wrong about all of that.
But I don’t think so.
Meanwhile, Mitchell filled Fisher’s post by promoting his state director Alexis Tameron to chief of staff. Tameron previously served as political director for the Arizona Democratic Party, so she has the political background. And now she’ll be able to transition into the top Washington position of a staff that is already up and running.
Mitchell tapped Sherwood, who already is a known commodity in the district because of his years with the East Valley Tribune, The Arizona Republic and KAET-TV’s Horizon program, to serve in Tameron’s former position in the Scottsdale office.
