By Greg Hazley
Jim Manley, a longtime Senate press aide and key PR professional for Democrats in that chamber, is stepping down as spokesman and communications director to Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Manly spent more than two decades in the Senate as a PR and communications staffer for Reid and Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and George Mitchell (D-Me.).
“After more than 20 years in the Senate, including one full six-year cycle with Sen. Reid,
"It's about time for me to try something new,” Manley said in a statement. “While I love the Senate very much, and had a great time working for Sens. Mitchell, Kennedy and Reid, I’m itching for a new adventure.”
Reid, in a statement, called Manley “one of the best communicators I have ever had the fortune of working with.”
Reid announced a revamp of Democratic communications in the Senate this week that includes merging his own messaging operation for the party led by Manley, known as the "war room," with the Democratic Policy Committee, a combined entity to be led by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). Schumer was elected vice chair of the Senate Democrats, the third-ranking slot.
Manley, a Minnesota native, worked for Mitchell when he was majority leader in 1990 and moved to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, in 1993 where he worked for Kennedy. He joined Reid in 2004.
"He represents the very best of our party and our country, and there are countless young communicators who owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for paving the way,” said Reid.
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