via @adamsmithtimes
The announcement by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal this week that he was jumping into the crowded Republican presidential primary field prompted widespread speculation that Melissa Sellers, a former senior Jindal adviser, would leave Gov. Rick Scott's staff as chief of staff to join Jindal's campaign. Sellers, who managed Scott's reelection campaign, has antagonized plenty of legislators in Tallahassee since she became Scott chief of staff seven months ago - his fourth chief of staff in 4 1/2 years.
"The governor is not being well served by these kids from Louisiana,'' fumed Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, early this week after the governor vetoed more than $461-million in legislative spending measures. "I don't recall a governor's office as unresponsive as that one is. They’ve got him totally isolated. You can’t have a meeting without Melissa sitting there. She totally controls the agenda but what are her credentials to do that? She won a campaign."
So we asked Sellers and the governor's communications director if there's anything to the talk of her joing the Jindal campaign, or the rumor she might work on the U.S. Senate campaign of U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla.
"Neither is true," said Communications Director Jackie Schutz in an email.
--ADAM C. SMITH, Tampa Bay Times
Comments