News updates are sent daily. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Gov. Brewer's chief of staff leaving
Kevin Tyne, chief of staff to Gov. Jan Brewer, is leaving to take a job with the Republican Governors Assocation. Tyne has been Brewer's chief aide and confidant for 13 years, since she was a Maricopa County supervisor.
Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services
Kevin Tyne, Gov. Jan Brewer's chief of staff, is leaving to take a job with the Republican Governors Association.
The move comes nine months after Brewer became the state's chief executive, taking Tyne, a longtime confidant, with her from the secretary of state's office. In that time, though, Tyne has come under some criticism for his management style, with two high-profile staffers leaving.
He will be replaced by Eileen Klein, who has been Brewer's top budget advisor.
But the real significance of the move is it is the best indicator to date that Brewer actually wants a full term of her own as governor: One of the main roles of the Republican Governors Association is to help with elections. And Tyne has helped raise money for Brewer in the past.
That fact was not lost on Rick Ayers, the executive director of the RGA.
"Kevin will provide us with invaluable assistance as we work to retain the governorship in Arizona and elect more governors throughout the West," he said in a prepared statement.
Tyne became Brewer's chief of staff a dozen years ago when she was a Maricopa County supervisor. When Brewer was elected secretary of state, she brought Tyne with her.
And when she became governor after the resignation of Janet Napolitano in January, Brewer tapped Tyne for the same position.
 |
| Eileen Klein |
But the change did not go smoothly.
Tom Manos, who had been the governor's chief deputy for finance, quit at the end of July. Manos said he intended to work part time for the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority and do volunteer work on homelessness.
Then just over a month later, Brian McNeil, a deputy chief of staff who oversaw the day-to-day operations of the office, announced he, too, was leaving. Gubernatorial press aide Paul Senseman said at the time that McNeil, one of the first to join Brewer's team, "feels that the timing is right to explore something different."
Please add your comments, but follow these guidelines to keep this a safe, credible place for discussing the news: