WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton replaced campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle with longtime aide Maggie Williams today, a staff shake-up coming just hours after presidential rival Barack Obama’s weekend sweep of three contests.
Campaign aides said Solis Doyle made the decision to leave on her own and was not urged to do so by the former first lady or any other senior member of the team. But it comes as Clinton struggles to catch Obama in fundraising and momentum and faces the prospect of losing every voting contest yet to come in February.
Solis Doyle announced the shift in an e-mail to the staff today.
“I have been proud to manage this campaign and prouder still to call Hillary my friend for more than 16 years,” Solis Doyle wrote.
“Maggie is a remarkable person, and I am confident that she will do a fabulous job.” Solis Doyle said she will serve as a senior adviser to Clinton and the campaign, and travel with Clinton from time to time.
Williams, who served as Clinton’s White House chief of staff, is a longtime Clinton confidante who joined the campaign after the New York senator narrowly won the New Hampshire primary Jan. 8. She will begin assuming the duties of campaign manager this week.
In a statement, Clinton praised Solis Doyle and said she looked forward to her continued advice in the coming months.
“Patti Solis Doyle has done an extraordinary job in getting us to this point — within reach of the nomination — and I am enormously grateful for her friendship and her outstanding work,” Clinton said. “And, as Patti has said, this already has been the longest presidential campaign in history and one that has required enormous sacrifices of everyone and our families.
“I look forward to her continued advice in the months ahead,” Clinton added.
Williams joined the campaign when Clinton brought aboard a new group of advisers.
“Patti and I have worked with Maggie Williams for more than a decade,” Clinton said in the statement. “I am lucky to have Maggie on board and I know she will lead our campaign with great skill towards the nomination.”
