Cravaack close to hiring Gohmert aide as chief of staff (updated)

Rep.-elect Chip Cravaack is close to hiring Michael Tomberlin as his chief of staff.

By jeremyherb

December 17, 2010 at 6:51PM

Update: Hot Dish spoke with Michael Tomberlin, who confirmed he has joined Cravaack's office. He said Cravaack and Grams are meeting today to discuss the specific role that Tomberlin will take on.

Incoming Rep. Chip Cravaack is close to landing Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert's chief of staff as his permanent top aide, Hot Dish has learned.

Michael Tomberlin, who has run Gohmert's office since 2006, would replace interim chief of staff and former U.S. Sen. Rod Grams, who has led Cravaack's office since his election victory in November, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the talks.

Cravaack's office confirmed that talks to bring Tomberlin on board as chief of staff are "in the works," though no final decision has been made.

Tomberlin would give Cravaack, a Minnesota Republican who has never been in politics before, a Washington veteran at the helm of his office. Tomerblin has worked on the Hill since at least 2000, according to the congressional tracking website Legistorm.

Tomerblin's current boss, Gohmert, is a close ally of Rep. Michele Bachmann and a member of her Tea Party Caucus. Like Bachmann, Gohmert drew heat for an appearance earlier this year on CNN's Anderson Cooper, when the Texas Republican got into a scuffle with Cooper over his claims about "terror babies."

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