Minnesota House DFL public affairs director Carrie Lucking is leaving that post to become the new executive director of the Alliance for a Better Minnesota.
Lucking's move to run the politically active organization is one of several shaking in Minnesota's partisan communications staffs in advance of the 2012 Legislative session and election year.
Among others:
- Minnesota Senate communications director Michael Brodkorb left his volunteer but party-elected post as the Minnesota Republican Party's deputy chair to volunteer for state Sen. Mike Parry's congressional campaign against Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Walz. Brodkorb is not leaving his Senate job.
- Chris Van Guilder was promoted to be deputy communications director for the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus.
- DFL Party Communications Director Kristin Sosanie will become Press Secretary for Obama for America in Minnesota.
Lucking's new job allows Denise Cardinal, who has been the Alliance for a Better Minnesota executive director, will become a founding director.
Cardinal, who took a brief leave from Alliance duties last year to work for Mark Dayton's recount effort, said she will now focus her time on "the message development and research needed for 2012 and beyond."
"These are very big shoes to fill," Lucking said of the woman she is replacing. "We are going to transition together."
Lucking, a former teacher, was Steve Kelley's gubernatorial campaign manager, until he ended his campaign, then worked for Paul Thissen's gubernatorial campaign last year, until he ended his campaign, then worked for Tarryl Clark's congressional campaign.
