Republican consultant Jeff Larson will be the Republican National Committee's chief-of-staff under new chair Reince Priebus.
Larson has been the consummate GOP insiders' insider. He's a close friend and confident former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, an early backer of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's national moves, the owner of the a powerful GOP telemarketing firm and a force behind in the successful Minnesota push to host the 2008 Republican National Convention.Larson was CEO of the 2008 convention's host committee.
Cullen Sheehan, Coleman's former campaign manager and a former RNC staffer, confirmed the pick, which had been reported by national political media.
His expected hiring gives the Midwest clear power at the RNC going into the 2012 elections and reason for Minnesota Republicans to cheer.
Priebus, who had Minnesota Republican Party chair Tony Sutton as Priebus ran to unseat Michael Steele, is the former head of the Wisconsin Republican Party and Larson has ties to Republican campaigns all over Minnesota.
"Larson, who is expected to relocate to Washington and start immediately, will also help Priebus to swiftly fill such important posts at the committee as political director and communications director," Politico wrote.
Larson, who recently popped up in the news as a backer of complaints against U.S. Sen. Al Franken that were later found baseless, may not have to search much for a place to live. Back in the 2008 U.S. Senate race, Coleman was drawn into a kerfuffle over whether he was paying market rate for the basement space he rented in a Larson's Washington, DC townhome.
