Lee Fisher Announces His Campaign Staff

Senate candidate Lee Fisher announced several members of his campaign staff this morning. There aren’t really any major surprises, but the press release is after the jump.

Fisher’s highest profile opponent, Jennifer Brunner, made a similar announcement last week.

(Columbus) – Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, candidate for U.S. Senate announced his senior advisors, consultants and top staff.

Fisher has hired Geri Prado as his campaign manager. Recently Prado worked for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Before that she worked at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as deputy political director in the 2006 cycle and as the Get-Out-The-Vote effort director for Claire McCaskill’s Missouri U.S. Senate Race. She was John Kerry’s caucus director in the New Mexico 2004 Primary.

“I am excited to lead the effort to elect Lee Fisher as the next U.S. Senator from Ohio,” Prado said. “His hard work and dedication over the years to the working men and women of Ohio makes him the right choice to fight for them in Washington.”

Lauren Goode, former Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, has signed on as Political Director. Goode, a native of Peebles, Ohio, is a former communications director for two Ohio statewide organizations and a former legislative and policy aide in the Ohio Senate.

Alan Melamed and Jan Roller, two veterans of Ohio politics, have also joined the campaign as Senior Advisors.

On the consultant side, the Fisher campaign has signed on seasoned consultants in AKPD Message and Media and Mark Mellman of the Mellman Group.

AKPD, the firm founded by Obama campaign senior strategist David Axelrod in 1985, was hired to serve as the campaign’s media consultants.  In January, senior Obama aide Larry Grisolano joined forces with AKPD partners John Kupper and John Del Cecato.  David Plouffe, who managed the Obama campaign, remains at AKPD as senior advisor.

Mark Mellman, a Columbus native, was recently named Pollster of the Year by the American Association of Political Consultants, has helped elect some 18 U.S. Senators, eight Governors and over two dozen Members of Congress. The firm's Ohio history includes successful campaigns for Senators John Glenn and Howard Metzenbaum. The Mellman Group also provides polling and research for Democratic Majority Leaders Harry Reid and Steny Hoyer.

“I am pleased with the way our campaign has started,” Fisher said. “I take nothing for granted and know it’s going to be a hard fought race. I am proud of the team we put together.”

Fisher recently posted a filing of over $1 million from under 6 weeks of fundraising.