(Developing: Will be updated as warranted)
U.S. Senate candidate Kris Kobach on Monday announced he’s hiring a new campaign manager, described as a top New York City family lawyer with political experience.
Kobach said he hired Robert Savino as his new campaign manager, apparently replacing Steve Drake.
A spokeswoman said Drake was no longer with the campaign, but no explanation was immediately available about the shakeup.
“Rob is the perfect leader for my campaign team,” the former Kansas secretary of state said in a statement.
“He has the right mix of campaign experience and policy work on Capitol Hill. I’m excited to have him on board.”
Kobach said that Savino had worked as a senior legislative aide for former Republican Congressman Tom Marino of Pennsylvania.
However, Savino’s LinkedIn profile shows no other political experience other than working for Kobach’s campaign for the U.S. Senate.
At one point, Savino worked as legal counsel for Blank Rome LLP in New York.
Savino “has extensive experience settling and litigating matrimonial disputes involving highly complex financial and custody matters, as well as negotiating and preparing prenuptial agreements,” the law firm said in announcing Savino’s hiring in 2014.
The firm’s announcement also indicated that Savino was part of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom’s labor and employment law group.
Over the years, Savino has contributed to an array of Republican candidates, including Republican Sens. Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Thom Tillis and former House Speaker John Boehner.
The Kobach campaign also said that Savino worked in Washington state, writing campaign policy, assisting in communications, and conducting opposition research for a U.S. Senate candidate. The Kobach campaign didn’t identify the candidate.
Savino is a 1991 graduate of the New York University School of Law. He also has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
