Justin Sayfie Joins Tim Pawlenty Presidential Team

Four well-connected Florida political operatives will head presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty’s political and financial teams in the Sunshine State.

Justin Sayfie, Fort Lauderdale attorney, prominent Republican, and news aggregator of the popular SayfieReview.com – Florida’s version of the Drudge Report, has been chosen as Co-Chairman of Tim Pawlenty’s state campaign.

Sayfie is an alumnus of the Jeb Bush administration, having served as the governor’s senior policy advisor, spokesman and chief speechwriter. “Justin’s reputation as a skilled communicator and business leader is well known in Florida politics.  He’s a true rising star, and I’m grateful for his support,” stated the Republican hopeful, Tim Pawlenty.

According to a prepared statement, “Justin was a Ranger in the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign, and served as Vice-Chair for the Florida Republican Party Victory campaign in 2006.  In June 2007, President George W. Bush appointed Justin to the President’s Commission on White House Fellows, where he served until 2009.”

“He’s a great choice,” indicated Richard DeNapoli, Chair of the Republican Party of Broward County.

Pawlenty also announced that Phil Handy, who served as Bush’s gubernatorial campaign state chairman in 1992, 1998, and as co-chairman in 2002, will be his Florida State Chairman and National Finance Co-Chairman.  Handy will hold the same positions he held on Arizona Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign in 2008.

Ann Herberger will serve as Pawlenty’s National Senior Finance Advisor.  She runs a fundraising consulting firm and raised money for Jeb Bush’s 1997 gubernatorial campaign, as well as for former President’s George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Gretchen Picotte will serve as Pawlenty’s Florida Finance Director.  She did fundraising for Governor Rick Scott.  Picotte was also Florida Finance Director in 2008 for the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee and subsequently worked for the McCain campaign.