Benton was tapped to run the McConnell campaign early in the election cycle. McConnell campaign manager quits

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s campaign manager, Jesse Benton, announced his resignation late Friday, citing potential distractions over renewed attention to a scandal from the Iowa 2012 caucuses.

A longtime associate of Ron Paul and his son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Benton was the surprise choice to run the McConnell campaign in the Bluegrass State in September 2012 — even before the current election cycle began. Benton’s departure comes days after a former Iowa GOP state lawmaker pleaded guilty to charges of accepting money to change his endorsement in 2012 from Michele Bachmann to Ron Paul. Benton was the chairman of Paul’s 2012 campaign and has been mentioned in documents surrounding the case. He has not been accused of wrongdoing in the case.


“The press accounts and rumors are particularly hurtful because they are false,” Benton said in a statement. “However, what is most troubling to me is that they risk unfairly undermining and becoming a distraction to this reelection campaign.”

A source familiar with the situation said the Paul case has been all over the local press, and McConnell officials were concerned it could become a serious distraction during the final months of the campaign.

( WATCH: McConnell, Grimes and Kentucky's leadership issue)

Benton’s appointment in 2012 was seen as a marriage of convenience between McConnell — seeking to shore up his right flank — and the younger Paul, who was looking to build up his establishment cred ahead of a possible presidential bid. The tension was most clearly on display when a recording went public last year of Benton saying he was “holding my nose” to work for the Senate minority leader’s campaign.

McConnell is locked in a tight reelection battle against Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes at the same time he vies to become majority leader if Republicans can take back the Senate. Assessing the potential impact of Benton’s exit on the race, Kentucky political scientist Stephen Voss told the Lexington Herald-Leader that the aide’s absence might prove less consequential than if this had happened before the primary. (McConnell ended up defeating challenger Matt Bevin easily in May.)

“Benton already served his role of helping McConnell appeal to the conservative base during the party primary, and a lot of campaign responsibilities had already passed from his shoulders,” Voss told the newspaper, which first reported the resignation.

( Flashback to 2013: Blog: McConnell campaign chief 'holding my nose')

But, he added, the publicity certainly isn’t helpful to the senator.

In the Iowa case, then-state Sen. Kent Sorenson, who was a paid operative on Bachmann’s campaign, accepted tens of thousands of dollars from people connected to the elder Paul’s campaign — payments that were not disclosed to the Federal Election Commission.

Sorenson now faces up to 25 years in prison after his guilty plea to one count of causing a federal campaign committee to falsely report its expenditures to the FEC and one count of obstruction of justice.

In a statement Friday morning, before news of the resignation, a McConnell spokesperson said in a statement that “Sen. McConnell obviously has nothing to do with the Iowa presidential caucus or this investigation so it would be inappropriate for his campaign to comment on this situation.”

Grimes’ camp begged to differ. “Senator McConnell owes the people of Kentucky a full account of what he knew and when he knew it,” said Grimes spokeswoman Charly Norton.

( PHOTOS: Kentucky Senate race)

The McConnell campaign said it didn’t have any additional comment beyond the Benton statement — including who might take over as campaign manager. Josh Holmes, McConnell’s former chief of staff, moved over to the National Republican Senatorial Committee last year with the Kentucky race a key part of his portfolio.

Holmes is the most obvious successor to Benton given his extensive work this cycle on the campaign and his familiarity with McConnell. His potential stewardship of the campaign would offer McConnell some continuity and allow the campaign to install a new manager with little media fanfare.

The audiotape of Benton admitting he was a less-than-enthusiastic McConnell campaign soldier marked a low point for the two, but they tried to make light of it.

“Between you and me, I’m sort of holding my nose for two years because what we’re doing here is going to be a big benefit to Rand in ’16, so that’s my long vision,” Benton told a conservative activist in early 2013, according to the tape. A few days later, Benton and McConnell posed side-by-side for a playful photo together, with the aide plugging his nose.

Benton, 36, has a long history with the Paul family. The Philadelphia native and alumnus of Mary Washington College worked for the elder Paul’s campaign in 2008 and managed Rand Paul’s successful, insurgent GOP Senate primary effort in Kentucky in 2010.

On Ron Paul’s 2008 campaign, Benton, then 30 years old, began dating Paul’s granddaughter, Valori Pyeatt, 22; the two are now married. Benton, who had recently broken up with his girlfriend when he met Pyeatt, described the campaign-trail romance to The Wall Street Journal in 2008: “It’s uncentering to have no real routine, but it’s also liberating. It lets your passions out.”

Benton’s complete statement read as follows:

There is no more important cause for both Kentucky, my new home I have come to love, and our country than electing Mitch McConnell Majority Leader of the United States Senate. I believe this deep in my bones, and I would never allow anything or anyone to get in the way.

That includes myself.

Recently, there have been inaccurate press accounts and unsubstantiated media rumors about me and my role in past campaigns that are politically motivated, unfair and, most importantly, untrue. I hope those who know me recognize that I strive to be a man of integrity.

The press accounts and rumors are particularly hurtful because they are false.

However, what is most troubling to me is that they risk unfairly undermining and becoming a distraction to this reelection campaign.

Working for Mitch McConnell is one of the great honors of my life. He is a friend, a mentor and a great man this commonwealth desperately needs. I cannot, and will not, allow any possibility that my circumstances will effect the voters’ ability to hear his message and assess his record. This election is far too important and the stakes way too high.

With a heavy heart, I offered Sen. McConnell my resignation this afternoon and he reluctantly accepted. Effective Saturday, August 30th, I will no longer be the “Team Mitch” campaign manager.

The good news is that most of my work has been done. We have built a top flight team of incredible people that are working tirelessly to ensure Mitch’s re-election. They are a finely oiled machine and will not skip a beat without me.

This decision breaks my heart, but I know it is the right thing for Mitch, for Kentucky and for the country.

James 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.