Pounder Out

One-man RNC Joe Pounder, whose releases frequently appear on this blog, is leaving the Whip's office to join Kay Bailey Hutchison's campaign along with Jeff Sadosky, another McCain alum, who now works for KBH's Senate office. It's a testament to Cantor having a good team that other Republicans are going fishing for talent in his office, but Pounder's departure isn't exactly good news for Republicans. "Few communications staffers on or off the Hill dominate inboxes the way" Pounder does, said Politico in a recent profile. Hopefully Cantor's office continues to fill that role.

Full release after the jump...

Hutchison Campaign Fills Key Staff Positions

AUSTIN - As Texans for Kay builds towards Kay Bailey Hutchison's formal announcement of her run for Governor in August, the campaign has added to its political and communications team. This added depth and experience will provide a solid footing as Senator Hutchison builds upon the foundation created during the exploratory phase of the campaign.

"I'm so pleased to have Terry with me again for this race. Terry's strategic vision and experience in tough primary campaigns will be invaluable over the next year," stated Senator Hutchison. "Jennifer, Jeff and Joe have been on the front lines of some of the most hard-fought campaigns in the last decade, and their expertise will help our campaign get our vision for Texas in the 21st century out to voters."

Terry Sullivan - Campaign Manager

Terry Sullivan will serve as campaign manager for the campaign. Terry is returning to Texas after having worked with Sen. Hutchison on her 2006 campaign.

"Young aide an old hand at battle" is how the Dallas Morning News described Terry Sullivan. He is known as a hardball strategist in heated campaigns. From his early career working as a youth coordinator for Senator Jesse Helms to serving in leadership roles in multiple Presidential, US Senate and Congressional campaigns including Senator Jim DeMint, Mitt Romney and Steve Forbes, Terry has experience being in the toughest fights and emerging victorious.

Terry is currently the managing partner in the political consulting firm First Tuesday Strategies and the direct mail firm On The Mark. He is also a co-founder in the political Web firm UnderThePowerLines.

Terry is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Jennifer Coxe-Baker - Senior Communications Advisor

Jennifer Coxe-Baker will serve as a senior communications advisor to the campaign. In this capacity she will oversee of all aspects of the campaign related to communications. She brings to Texas more than thirteen years experience in political communications and grass roots politics.

A veteran of numerous state and national campaigns, Jennifer has served as the communications director in several hotly contested and high profile Republican primaries, including U.S. Senator Mel Martinez' 2004 campaign and U.S Congressman Van Hilleary's 2002 gubernatorial bid. She also served as Congressman Hilleary's campaign manager in the 2006 U.S. Senate primary in Tennessee.

She has served as a senior communications advisor to the Senate Republican Conference, communications director for Rep. John Linder of Georgia, press secretary for the Bush-Cheney Victory 2000 operation and director for regional communications at the Republican National Committee.

Most recently, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Public Affairs under Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Jennifer is a graduate of Florida State University.

Jeff Sadosky - Press Secretary

Jeff Sadosky will serve as press secretary and chief media spokesperson for the campaign.

Most recently Jeff served as Communications Director in Sen. Hutchison's Senate office. Jeff has worked for the past two Republican nominees for President, first as Southwest Regional Coordinator for President Bush's re-election campaign, and as Director of Regional Communications for John McCain's campaign, where he managed more than a dozen regional communications directors deployed across the country in battleground states.

During the '08 presidential primary, he served as traveling press secretary for Senator Fred Thompson's campaign. Prior to this, Jeff was Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Mike DeWine and Communications Director for the Republican Party of Florida.

Jeff is a graduate of James Madison University.

Joe Pounder - Deputy Communications Director