Atlanta City Council President Ceaser Mitchell has made a couple of “presidential” hires to help guide him in his run for mayor of Georgia’s capital.
Lance Orchid, who worked on the presidential runs for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, has been named Mitchell’s new campaign manager.
Native Atlantan Richard McDaniel, the former southern regional director for Clinton’s 2016 presidential run, will serve as Mitchell’s chief strategist and senior advisor.
The news comes as the nine serious candidates hoping to succeed Kasim Reed, who finishes his second term in office this year, are trying to gain traction in a race that is still in its early stages. Most Atlantans aren’t paying attention right now, experts say, so a lot of what the candidates are doing is refining their message, honing their speaking skills and drumming up crucial campaign donations.
Mitchell has led his competitors in total fundraising, pulling in a haul of about $1.394 million, according to the most recent fundraising disclosures. However, he trailed City Council members Kwanza Hall and Mary Norwood in the second fundraising period of the year — Feb. 1 through March 31 — with $128,360. (Hall raised $308,608 in the period while Norwood pulled in $276,000).
The next fundraising period ends June 30.
In addition to his work on the Clinton campaign, McDaniel is former political director of the Democratic Party of Georgia and political director for Michelle Nunn’s run for U.S. Senate in 2014.
Orchid also has worked on the Senate campaign for Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2012.
MYAJC.COM: REAL JOURNALISM. REAL LOCAL IMPACT.
The AJC's Leon Stafford keeps you updated on the latest in the Atlanta mayoral race and everything else going on at City Hall. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:
Never miss a minute of what's happening in Atlanta politics. Subscribe to myAJC.com.
About the Author
