Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani’s Team to EXPAND and REVAMP Campaign Operation

Political aides to ex-NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) will reorganize his presidential exploratory efforts over the next two weeks, expanding his national finance team and adding staff in early primary states to try to transform the New York-centric operation into a credible national campaign.

Giuliani backers have run into resistance among major fundraisers and with activists in early primary states because these activists are not convinced that Giuliani actually intends to run, his aides said. In Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, Giuliani lags behind Sen. John McCain and Ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney in recruiting staff.

â€œA revamping and a ramping up of the finance operation is occurring and will continue to unfold in the days and weeks to come,â€ a Giuliani insider said.

In New Hampshire the Giuliani CAMPAIGN has recruited and a staff is assembling.

Union Leader: Granite Status: Assembling campaign teams

Giuliani’s New Hampshire senior campaign team will include:

Jeb Bradley’s former outreach director, David Tille, as state political director. Tille had been with Bradley since 2002 and previously worked for Sen. Bob Smith and Rep. Charlie Bass.

Jeff Semprini, the son of outgoing state GOP chairman Wayne Semprini, as a regional field director and youth and college outreach coordinator.

UNH graduate Misty Haungs as state field director. A deputy regional political director for the Republican National Committee, she is a former Judd Gregg staffer and field manager for the GOP’s New Hampshire Victory 2004 organization.

Veteran conservative organizer and strategist Chris Wood as coalitions director. He has long been active in the state GOP, the right-to-work movement and the anti-tax Citizens for a Sound Economy. He’s also worked for Presidential hopefuls Steve Forbes and Pat Buchanan.

Misty Haungs, New Hampshire Field Director

Hotline has more on the increasing organization of a now VERY serious presidential campaign.

In addition, Giulianiâ€™s team plans to announce senior level staff positions in early primary states. Also, the campaign is close to reaching an agreement with a pollster and media consultant. Aides to Giuliani declined to reveal the names of their expected hires.

The moves are â€œa recognition that things need to fall into placeâ€ in order for Giuliani to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate, the insider said.

This weekâ€™s announcement that ex-Rep. Jim Nussle would assist Giuliani in Iowa and the unveiling of four New Hampshire staffers to a Manchester political reporter are the first steps in that process.

â€œAs we continue to expand our fundraising and finance team, the support we are getting is exciting,â€ said Roy Bailey, Giulianiâ€™s finance chair.

Stay tuned for more staff announcements……