Manatt to Direct Simon Campaign
Former Democratic National Chairman Charles T. Manatt will become chairman of Illinois Sen. Paul Simon’s presidential campaign, according to sources close to Simon.
The announcement will be made Dec. 9 in Washington and also in Iowa, Manatt’s home state and site of next February’s Iowa caucuses.
Simon led the Democratic pack in the most recent Iowa Poll, getting 24% of Democrats inclined to attend the caucuses.
Manatt, founder of the Century City law firm Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg & Phillips, was finance chairman of Gary Hart’s 1988 presidential campaign before the former Colorado senator abruptly quit the race last May.
Manatt said in a telephone interview Monday that he and Simon were working out the final details on his role in the campaign.
Among the things Manatt is expected to do as chairman is help raise money and oversee the national campaign structure, including getting delegate candidates lined up for Simon in all primaries and caucuses.
Manatt is one of the best fund-raisers in the Democratic Party, and during his four years as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, from 1981 to 1984, he greatly improved the committee’s fund-raising base.
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