Hobbs picks former House Dem leader Campbell as new chief of staff
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Chad Campbell at an event in 2014. Photo: Courtesy of Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Wednesday named former House Minority Leader Chad Campbell as her new chief of staff.
Why it matters: A chief of staff helps the governor run Arizona's sprawling executive branch, balance priorities and manage relations with the state Legislature, which in Hobbs' case is controlled by the Republican opposition.
- "Chad's extensive experience and commitment to working together to solve tough problems is exactly why he's the best person for this job, and we're eager to get to work on more bipartisan accomplishments to move our state forward," Hobbs said in a press statement, pointing to his work on Medicaid expansion in 2013.
Context: Campbell spent eight years in the Arizona House, including four as the chamber's Democratic leader from 2011 to 2014.
- For four years he and Hobbs represented the same district.
- Since leaving the Legislature, Campbell has worked primarily as a political and public relations consultant.
- He played a key role in negotiations with GOP Gov. Jan Brewer in 2013, when legislative Democrats joined with a handful of Republicans to pass her Medicaid expansion plan.
The intrigue: Many at the Capitol will be looking to Campbell to help guide Hobbs' administration that has struggled at times during its first five months.
- Hobbs has had unusually high turnover and shakeups among top positions since taking office in January.
- Democratic lawmakers were upset with the budget that she negotiated with House Speaker Ben Toma and Senate President Warren Petersen.
- She's had trouble getting Senate confirmation for agency directors and other executive nominations.
What they're saying: Kirk Adams, who served as then-Gov. Doug Ducey's chief of staff and alongside Campbell while he was House speaker, said Hobbs is bringing in a "big gun" who has the experience, credibility and temperament to be an effective chief of staff to a governor who's had "some pretty big challenges."
- Mario Diaz, a lobbyist who served in former Gov. Janet Napolitano's administration, said Hobbs "needed a leader of the team that seems to me had been lacking," and Campbell can mentor the rest of her staff.
- Campbell has "extensive legislative experience, knows and understands the players, understands state government and is a people person," said lobbyist Scott Smith, who negotiated the budget and Medicaid expansion with him while serving as Brewer's chief of staff.
Zoom in: Allie Bones resigned as chief of staff last week, marking the shortest tenure of any gubernatorial chief of staff in memory.
- Brewer's first chief lasted about nine months and former Gov. Fife Symington's original chief left the position after about seven.
- Former press secretary Josselyn Berry resigned in March over a controversial tweet, communications director Murphy Hebert quietly left the administration shortly after, and legislative director Rebecca Beebe left in early May.