Ruiz replaces his campaign manager
Posted: February 21st, 2012 | Author: Erica Felci | Filed under: Political Insider | Tags: 2012 election, DCCC, Kyle Layman, Mary Bono Mack, Raul RuizDemocratic congressional candidate Raul Ruiz has replaced his local campaign manager with someone who has national connections.
Ruiz, an emergency room physician embarking on his first political bid, hired Kyle Layman, who has worked on campaigns in New Jersey and North Carolina.
Layman replaces Tizoc DeAztlan, a local political consultant who was among the first to encourage Ruiz to challenge Rep. Mary Bono Mack.
Ruiz said it was always the plan to hire a campaign manager “as soon as we grew to that level.”
Democrats familiar with the hiring said the switch was encouraged by the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in an effort to give Ruiz’s a higher profile.
“Now is a critical point in our juncture. We’re going to bring it up to the next level,” Ruiz told The Desert Sun. “I think we’ve got the right person.”
Until now, DeAztlan has overseen the entire campaign. Ruiz said he’s still a campaign supporter and will serve as a consultant.
It’s not the first time that the DCCC has helped guide a local campaign.
Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet also hired someone from the national field to run his 2010 campaign. But that hiring was done in summer of 2009 — shortly after announcing his plans to run.
Bono Mack’s campaign is run by her local political director. In 2010, after Pougnet hired his campaign manager, Bono Mack also hired an outside expert.
Erica Felci is a reporter for The Desert Sun who writes the weekly Political Insider column.