Ron Wyden Hires Campaign Manager

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has hired Jake Weigler to run his 2010 re-election campaign.

Weigler ran Steve Novick's unsuccessful 2008 run in the Democratic primary for Oregon's other U.S. Senate seat. The Wyden campaign looks a lot easier than the 2008 task for Weigler, who has subsequently served as a spokesman at the Oregon Departments of Justice and Education (His last day at ODE is Feb. 12.)

Wyden, a Portland Democrat who has held his seat since 1996, so far lacks a Republican opponent (and only perennial candidate/"fitness enthusiast" Pavel Goberman so far in the Dems' primary). But Wyden is taking no chances in what could be a difficult year for Democrats. Earlier this week, Wyden's chief of staff, Josh Kardon, told The Oregonian he's taking a leave of absence to work on Wyden's campaign.

Democratic pollster Lisa Grove and direct mail specialist Mark Wiener are also on board the Wyden re-election campaign, Weigler says.