(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Just as U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann contemplates a White House run, the Minnesota Republican is losing two key staffers, her office confirmed Friday. New-on-the-scene spokesman Sergio Gor and long-time district director Julie Quist are both headed for the exits, according to communications director Doug Sachtleben. Gor, a young operative who learned his political chops on the 2008 McCain/Palin campaign, is headed to "pursue another opportunity," according to Sachtleben. Quist, who has done stints as district office manager, district director, and acting chief of staff, "is retiring and will miss the job," Sachtleben said. Neither is departing with ill will toward Bachmann, according to Politico, which got a quote from Gor saying "I have enjoyed working for Congresswoman Bachmann tremendously, and have nothing but praise and admiration for her." (Hot Dish has not yet heard back from Gor directly). The departures, coming as Bachmann heads to the early primary states of South Carolina and New Hampshire, add to a long list of staffers who have either not stayed long, or used her high-profile office as a springboard to other things. Bachmann has seen a slew of communications staffers come and go since she took office in 2007. She also has gone through at least four chiefs of staff: Brooks Kochvar, who went on to work for Oregon Republican Gordon Smith; Rich Dunn, now political director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee; Michelle Marston, who has been doing federal legislative work for the Commonwealth Republican Women's Club in Virginia: and former Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey, who stayed five months and recently questioned Bachmann's electability and readiness for the presidency in an interview with the Associated Press. Her campaign finance director, Zandra Wolcott, also left during her reelection campaign last year.
Asked about the departures, Sachtleben, who recently arrived from the Christine O'Donnell Senate campaign in Delaware, said "there's no turnover problem."
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