A few years ago, Jaime Tincher devoted much of her life to defeating Mark Dayton.

Now, the former campaign manager for DFL gubernatorial candidate Margaret Anderson Kelliher has joined Gov. Dayton's office as his deputy chief of staff. Dayton beat Kelliher, the DFL gubernatorial endorsee, in a 2010 primary and went on to win the office.

Tincher will replace Michele Kelm Helgen, Dayton's pick to chair the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority, charged with building the new Minnesota Vikings stadium.

Tincher has served as the DFL House director of caucus and legislative services for the last several years. She was the Democrat's House point person on redistricting and other key issues.

She is married to Adam Duininck, a Metropolitan Council member, who leads the Win Minnesota and the 2012 Fund. The two independent committees, with funds from unions and wealthy donors, help provide the cash to fuel the Alliance for a Better Minnesota that helped campaign for a DFL governor in 2010 and is now working toward a DFL controlled Legislature.