Tim Pawlenty benefits from Gingrich staff exodus

s campaign Thursday afternoon, Tim Pawlenty’s campaign let it be known that Gingrich’s former national campaignco-chair, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, had joined Pawlenty’scampaign.

“Tim Pawlenty is a great man, he was aphenomenal governor, and he is the person I now believe stands thegreatest chance of defeating President Obama,” said Perdue in astatement released by the Pawlenty campaign. “He is the only candidatewho has laid out a real plan to grow the American economy, and his trackrecord in Minnesota is proof he’s the right man for the job.”

The Pawlenty campaign statement that Perdue would “join its national efforts” did not specifywhat the former Georgia governor’s role would be.

Prior to the announcement, Pawlenty’s deputy national finance director, Katie McBreen, tweeted “No Newt is Good Newt.”

An hour later, McBreen appeared to revise her initial response by , “@ThomasDeRosa Unofficial@KatieMcBreen response. Oh, and that he’s also a great American and friend.”

Alexis Levinson contributed to this report.

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