Brown Signs Obama Campaign Manager for Governor Race

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown's campaign for governor just snagged President Barak 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.

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 for  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.