Lamontagne's Niece Working For Pawlenty
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his New Hampshire campaign staff Wednesday afternoon, and of the seven names mentioned in Pawlenty's press release, one stood out: Erin Lamontagne, who will serve as Office Manager.
It's perhaps the least prominent position on the roster -- indeed, Erin Lamontagne is buried at the bottom of the release -- but her name is notable for one reason: she is the niece of former GOP Senate candidate and conservative kingmaker Ovide Lamontagne, whose endorsement will be among the most sought after in the Republican nominating contest.
Erin Lamontagne has volunteered on several state and federal campaigns, including her uncle's 2010 Senate bid -- in which he came up just short in the GOP primary against now-Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H. -- but is not well-known outside of Granite State politics. A source in the Pawlenty campaign confirmed to Hotline On Call that she is the niece of Ovide Lamontagne. It's not certain whether or not Erin Lamontagne supported any presidential candidate in 2008.
The news that Erin Lamontagne will work for Pawlenty's campaign immediately raises the question of whether her uncle, too, will support the former Minnesota governor. A source in the Pawlenty campaign said that Ovide's niece working for Pawlenty "obviously doesn't hurt, but I wouldn't read too much into it."
Ovide Lamontagne supported former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president in 2008, but has not committed to Romney for 2012 and is considered to be a top free agent. He launched the Granite Oath PAC earlier this year, and has been hosting presidential hopefuls in his Manchester home for meet-and-greet events. Pawlenty attended one of the first such events back in March.
Lamontagne appears unlikely to return to Romney after the former Massachusetts governor declined to endorse his neck-and-neck Senate contest last fall, a boost that could have propelled Lamontagne into the Senate. He lost by less than one thousand votes.
For the full roster of Pawlenty's New Hampshire campaign staff, click below the jump:
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