Susie Wiles, Jon Huntsman's Campaign Manager, Resigns
Susie Wiles is leaving her post as campaign manager for Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, the Washington Post reports.
Wiles ran Florida Governor Rick Scott's (R) campaign during the 2010 election season. According to the Miami Herald, she said on Thursday that "it was just time" for her to depart her job with Huntsman's political operation.
"I signed up to get it started," Wiles explained, the Herald reports. "It’s like a phase. This morning I said it’s time to move on."
Wiles will reportedly be replaced by Matt David, who currently serves as communications director for Huntsman.
CNN reports that Senior Campaign Adviser John Weaver addressed the shake up in a statement. "Susie has served the campaign well and was vital in getting it off the ground in such a short time-frame," he said. "Now the campaign is moving into phase two which will be more aggressive from a messaging and tactical standpoint and Matt is prepared to take that on."
Huntsman formally announced his candidacy for president of the United States last month. Earlier this year, he resigned as President Barack Obama's U.S. ambassador to China.
The AP has more:
The former Utah governor has raised more than $4 million for his presidential bid, with about half of it coming from the candidate's personal wealth.Huntsman has tried to become the primary alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a fellow Mormon who is making his second attempt at the Republican nomination. Huntsman remains unknown to many voters and has trailed Romney and other Republican rivals in early polls.
Huntsman was a popular governor of a conservative state, but his moderate stances on climate change and civil unions for same-sex couples along with his role as the Obama administration top diplomat in China could hurt him with conservative voters.
Largely bypassing Iowa, Huntsman has focused his efforts in New Hampshire, where independent voters may cast ballots in either party's primary, hoping to use a strong showing in the nation's first primary state to build momentum for primaries in South Carolina, Florida and beyond.
Wiles ran Florida Gov. Rick Scott's 2010 campaign. David is a veteran of the presidential campaigns of John McCain and George W. Bush and was a top aide to former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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First Posted: 07/21/11 02:53 PM ET Updated: 09/20/11 06:12 AM ET