Donnelly says he and departing campaign manager have ‘two different styles’

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly brushed off the departure of his campaign manager on Wednesday, saying a separation had been in the works because their styles did not mesh.

“In most campaigns, this might be a significant issue. In my campaign, it’s going to be a little pothole in the rearview mirror,” Donnelly said in a phone interview. “It already is.”

Jennifer Kerns announced earlier in the day that she was stepping down as campaign manager, and a source close to the campaign said she had grown frustrated because Donnelly was not taking her advice.

Donnelly, an assemblyman from San Bernardino County, said he was surprised by the timing of the announcement. But it had been clear that the two had different ideas about how to run a campaign and he had already been seeking a replacement.

“It turned out to not be a good fit and … I wish her the best,” Donnelly said. “It’s two different styles.

“She is much more comfortable [in a campaign] that’s largely driven through the press, but the grass-roots side, that just wasn’t the perfect fit. It’s a perfect fit for me. I love it.”

Donnelly said the campaign recently hired a grass-roots coordinator who worked for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum during his unsuccessful White House bid in 2012. Donnelly said he was in talks with several potential campaign managers, but was not yet ready to disclose their names.

The gubernatorial candidate said he was looking forward to firing up GOP activists at this weekend’s California Republican Party convention in Burlingame. He plans to court various voter groups at their caucus meetings, and will host an evening reception Saturday that will feature actress Maria Conchita Alonso.

The actress, who previously recorded an online campaign video for Donnelly that received national media attention, will speak about the struggles in Venezuela, where she was raised, and may sing.

Donnelly said he also hopes to debate his GOP rival, former U.S. Treasury official Neel Kashkari. Donnelly proposed a debate at the convention earlier this week, but the state party said it had no intention of stepping into an intra-party battle, and Kashkari said he was amenable to a debate in the future.

“I still haven’t given up the idea of having a debate,” Donnelly said. “Can you imagine a debate, mano-a-mano, where you actually question each other and have a real moderator that’s not biased?... Something that really inspires the imagination of the grass roots.

“Here’s the thing: whoever wins the debate and wins the hearts and minds of the most people is going to have a workforce that is going to make the difference between winning and losing,” he said.

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seema.mehta@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATSeema