Owens Hires a Campaign Manager

ALBANY—Bill Owens' campaign to replace John McHugh in Congress has confirmed its first hire: Brad Katz as campaign manager.

Katz is a Putnam County native, and last worked in New York on the 2006 primary campaign of Judy Aydelott. (She lost to Representative John Hall; who went on to beat Sue Kelly for the seat.)

Most recently, Katz worked in Pennsylvania, Alaska, and on Bruce Lunsford's unsuccessful bid to unseat Senator Mitch McConnell in Kentucky.

Katz started three days ago, he told me in a phone interview. Republican Dede Scozzafava has also hired a campaign team, and Conservative Doug Hoffman has at least two consultants in place.