Gov. Branstad hires full-time campaign employee

DES MOINES - Gov. Terry Branstad hired Mitt Romeny's former New Hampshire state director for a full-time campaign spot, giving the surest sign to date that the five-term governor will seek re-election in 2014.

Phil Valenziano began work last week and is the only full-time employee of the Branstad campaign.

“There are parades and events and those types of things for the governor and Lt. Gov. (Kim) Reynolds that is better for a campaign office to do,” Valenziano said when reached by phone Thursday. “But my big focus is going to be on grassroots organizing.”

Valenziano most recently served as state director for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in New Hampshire where he oversaw 10 offices, 30 staff and more than 1,000 volunteers.

The New Jersey native who graduated from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., in 2007, also worked as a field organizer for Romney in South Carolina, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri and Iowa.

In 2011, he served as a clerk for Rep. Chip Baltimore, R-Boone. Before that, Valenziano worked for the state Republican Party its Cedar Rapids office.

Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht said hiring a full-time staffer is not equal to an announcement that the governor will run.

“In sticking with the promise to be ready no matter what happens, we've added a campaign staff member,” he said. “There are just a lot of barbeques in the summer that could be better coordinated through a campaign office.”