As Mitt Romney explores a third White House bid, two of his former aides are being positioned by potential rival Jeb Bush to play key roles in his campaign should he decide to make a 2016 run.
Megan Sowards, who served as deputy general counsel for Romney’s 2012 campaign, is moving to South Florida to take a position with McDonald Hopkins, a law firm with close ties to Bush, a Bush source tells CNN. Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez, who was Bush’s general counsel when he was Florida governor, is the managing member of the firm’s Miami office. Rodriguez has remained a close Bush confidante.
If the former Florida governor decides to seek the presidency, Sowards would likely be in line to become general counsel for his campaign.
Sowards spent the past two years as general counsel for the National Republican Senatorial Committee and has held positions in the U.S. Senate, State Department and Patton Boggs.
“She is a top-notch lawyer at the top of her game and a rising star in GOP legal circles,” said a Republican strategist, who asked not to be named to avoid being drawn into the GOP primary fight.
And last week, a former Romney campaign press aide began work for Bush’s political action committee, “Right to Rise.”
Matt Gorman, who was the deputy rapid response director for Romney’s campaign, will be working for the PAC’s communications arm. He joins Kristy Campbell, who was deputy communications director on Romney’s campaign, at Bush’s PAC. Campbell has a long history with Bush, including serving as press secretary when he was governor.
Gorman was the rapid response director for the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2014 midterm election.