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Trump Hires Former Walker Campaign Manager

Republican Frontrunner Donald Trump Has Hired Rick Wiley, Who Managed Gov. Scott Walker's Presidential Campaign

By
Shawn Johnson/WPR

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has hired Gov. Scott Walker’s former presidential campaign manager to be his national political director.

Trump announced the hire of Rick Wiley in a press release, calling him a “seasoned political expert with a very successful career of winning elections.”

Wiley’s Wisconsin roots go beyond his stint running Walker’s campaign. He was the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Republican Party 10 years ago.

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But Wiley’s experience at the Republican National Committee could prove more valuable to Trump, especially as he vies for a majority of delegates, or braces for a contested convention. Wiley is the former political director for the RNC, a job he was given by current RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. Priebus also has Wisconsin ties, having previously chaired Wisconsin’s Republican Party.

Trump’s press release announcing Wiley’s hire made no mention of Walker’s campaign, which officially lasted 70 days from start to finish. When Walker bowed out of the race, he encouraged other Republicans to follow so the party could coalesce around an alternative to Trump. Walker has since endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Wiley also managed former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 presidential bid.