Conservative magazine Newsmax reports that former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has named Michael DuHaime, political director of the Republican National Committee, to head his presidential exploratory committee.
DuHaime headed political operations for the RNC this year and served as a regional political director for President Bush’s re-election campaign in 2004, the New York Sun reports.
Last week Giuliani hired Sandra Pack, another top official from Bush’s re-election campaign, to become the chief financial officer of his exploratory committee.
Giuliani filed papers with the Federal Election Commission in November to set up his committee, which allows him to raise money and travel the country to gauge support for a presidential bid without formally declaring himself a candidate.
In addition to Giuliani, GOP Senators John McCain of Arizona and Sam Brownback of Kansas have also formed exploratory committees.
The hiring of DuHaime, 33, comes several days after McCain met in New York with dozens of party donors from the former mayor’s backyard, the Sun notes – including some who have contributed to Giuliani in the past.