Tim Johnson, the South Dakota senator whose unexpected brain haemorrhage last year touched off retirement fears, has reassured Democrats by starting his re-election fight early.
Johnson named his two senior campaign aides today, both of them veterans of Jim Webb's victory last year in the reddish state of Virginia. South Dakota native Steve Jarding, an ex-aide to Johnson, will manage his re-election campaign after playing that role for Webb. Jon Lupo, Johnson's new deputy campaign manager, worked as Webb's issues and research director in 2006. Johnson also hired Ashleigh Owens, a Webb legislative aide, as his campaign research director.
