Governor Tom Vilsack’s press secretary is resigning to manage the campaign of one of the Democrats who hopes to be Iowa’s next governor. Thirty-four-year-old Matt Paul has worked on Vilsack’s staff since November of 1998, but he’s leaving to become the manager of Democrat Michael Blouin’s gubernatorial campaign. The two men worked together when Blouin was head of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and Paul worked for the Mayor of Cedar Rapids.
Back in 1998, Vilsack asked Blouin to head his transition team and Blouin is credited with introducing Vilsack to Paul. Paul took a leave of absence from the Vilsack staff in late 2003 to work as a deputy on Howard Dean’s Iowa Caucus Campaign, then returned shortly after the Caucuses.
This past July, Blouin resigned his job as Governor Vilsack’s economic development director to launch a campaign to try to succeed Vilsack as governor. Blouin has repeatedly rejected the idea that Vilsack, who is not seeking re-election, is secretly helping to direct Blouin’s campaign.