Brown Signs Obama Campaign Manager for Governor Race

By Michael Theis - Patch Local Editor

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown's campaign for governor just snagged President Barack Obama's former campaign manager, Jim Messina, as senior advisor. 

"Jim Messina and I both know that campaigns are won one door at a time and that's why we are mobilizing the biggest grassroots campaign Maryland has ever seen," read a statement attributed to Brown in a media release announcing the hire. 

Brown announced Messina's hire during a press conference on Monday morning at his Largo campaign headquarters. Brown is running on a ticket that includes Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, who is running for Lt. Governor.

Messina will assist in a number of areas, including fundraising, volunteer organizing and media, according to an announcement from Brown's campaign.

According to brief 2011 biography from U.S. News and World Report, Messina has a professional political career which stretches back more than 20 years. In 1993, Messina, still a college senior at the University of Montana, ran a successful mayoral re-election campaign in Missoula, MT. for Dan Cremis, a Democrat. He has worked for and managed campaigns for Sen. Max Macus (D-MT), served as chief of staff for Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY). 

In 2008, Obama picked Messina for his campaign chief of staff. Three years working as Obama's deputy chief of staff later, Messina returned to Obama's re-election campaign.

Brown announced his campaign for Maryland's top spot in May, highlighting economic issues, gun control and his past service in the military.