FILE PHOTO: White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short takes part in a daily briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has chosen a familiar White House figure for his new chief of staff: Marc Short, who was President Donald Trump’s top legislative aide until he left in July.

“He has a strong relationship with the vice president,” said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders. “Everybody feels like it will be a good fit.”

Pence’s last top aide, Nick Ayers, left in December after he ruled out taking the chief of staff role for Trump.

Short, who worked with Pence before he became vice president, had left the White House in July to join the University of Virginia’s Miller Center and a Washington consulting firm. He will return to the White House in mid-March, Sanders said.