By SPA
Washington : Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton replaced campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle with longtime aide Maggie Williams on Sunday, engineering a shake-up in a presidential campaign struggling to overcome rival Sen.
Barack Obama’s financial and political strengths, AP reported.
The surprise announcement came hours after Obama’s sweep of three contests Saturday and shortly before the Illinois senator won caucuses in Maine on Sunday.
Determined to maintain her overall lead in the race, Clinton turned to a longtime confidante, Maggie Williams, to manage her operations.
Campaign aides said Patti Solis Doyle made the decision to leave on her own and was not urged to do so by the former first lady or any other senior member of the team. But it comes as Clinton struggles to catch Obama in fundraising and momentum and faces the prospect of losing every voting contest yet to come in February.
Solis Doyle announced the shift in an e-mail to the staff on Sunday.
«I have been proud to manage this campaign and prouder still to call Hillary my friend for more than 16 years,» Solis Doyle wrote. «Maggie is a remarkable person and I am confident that she will do a fabulous job.» Solis Doyle said she will serve as a senior adviser to Clinton and the campaign, and travel with Clinton from time to time.
Williams, who served as Clinton’s White House chief of staff, joined the campaign after the New York senator narrowly won the New Hampshire primary Jan. 8. She will begin assuming the duties of campaign manager this week.