Kay's new campaign manager...

The Palmetto scoop has what seems like an unhealthy obsession with Kay's new campaign manager (link). Excerpt follows...

VILE SC POLITICO TO MANAGE HUTCHISON’S GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN

South Carolina became a slightly more pleasant state Tuesday as news hit the web that one of its most despicable political operatives would be leaving for Texas.

Terry Sullivan, 12, will reportedly be managing the gubernatorial campaign of U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Most experts agree that Sullivan’s injection into Texas politics will be a devastating curse on the people of the Lone Star State.

And in a sign of the respectful demeanor that South Carolinians have come to associate with Sullivan, he used his first public statement to childishly bash Hutchison’s his opponent.

“It’s going to be fun to kick Rick Perry’s record around for the next seven months,” Sullivan said.

Unfortunately for Sullivan, who ran Mitt Romney’s sub-par 2008 Palmetto State presidential campaign, there’s a pretty good chance Perry’s team might have a little “fun” themselves and “kick around” his less-than-stellar record.

For instance, this, this, this, this and this.

Also a potential problem for Sullivan is that he has absolutely no gubernatorial campaign experience. Beyond that, the last time he tried to run a campaign in state outside South Carolina — a 2006 U.S. Senate race in Michigan for Mike Brouchard — he had his ass handed to him.

Best of all, though, is that his middle name is “Seed.” True story.

Heath Thompson, a fellow shady Palmetto State politico, will also be working on Hutchison’s campaign.

I have no idea what is going on with this guy and this blogger Adam Fogle back in South Carolina... some very insider hostility toward Sullivan from Fogle. I think this does remind me a lot of the South Carolina politics of Lee Atwater... very personal, very good ole boy get drunk and yell at people, very dirty tricks, very get your hands dirty and let the insults fly...

I am not saying all of those are bad things, but it might not fit well in this race in Texas. Dirty tricks work best when you can drive the entire length of the state in a couple of hours, as you can in South Carolina. I think Texas has more of a hands off the other side's staff mentality. In South Carolina it seems like the candidates almost take a back seat to the staff.

It also looks like Terry Sullivan may have had some involvement in the PhoneyFred.org scandal, where the Romney campaign had to take down the inflammatory site after only a few hours.

It will be interesting to watch the new Kay staffers find their way into the Texas scene since so many of them are not from Texas... but face it, who is there to pick up inside of Texas? There is not a whole lot of seasoned political talent in the state who would be willing to take a pay cut and work for Kay, so Kay's choice of outside help makes a lot of sense.

Another of Kay's new staffers sounds a lot like former Kay staffer with the anti Palin rhetoric (link). Excerpt follows...

"I am of the strong opinion that, at present day, she is not ready to be the leading voice of the GOP," said Todd Harris, a party strategist who likened Palin to the hopelessly dated "Miami Vice" -- something once cool that people regard years later with puzzlement and laughter. "It's not even that she hasn't paid her dues. I personally don't think she's ready to be commander in chief."

The anti Palin stuff has already gotten Kay in trouble before, and it looks like their new team member is another proud anti Palin advocate. Just make sure Todd keeps that opinion to himself...