Advertisement Craig Brown named NH state director of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign Former Molly Kelly, Joyce Craig campaign manager is Harris’ first state director hire nationally Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Craig Brown, who led the recent New Hampshire campaigns of Molly Kelly and Joyce Craig, has become the first state director hire of the California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, leading her Granite State effort.Brown told WMUR Thursday that his hiring shows the Harris campaign is committed to running a serious operation in the first-primary state. Her commitment to New Hampshire, as compared to other early states, and her home state, has been the subject of some speculation nationally and concern among New Hampshire Democrats.“Sen. Harris will have an opportunity to meet New Hampshire voters and New Hampshire voters will certainly have opportunities to meet her,” Brown told WMUR. “I think her message and story will resonate with voters here.“I’m excited to lead her team in New Hampshire.”Brown also said Harris “is not going to take any place for granted,” including the Granite State.A Harris aide said no trips to New Hampshire are planned, yet. Harris will visit first-caucus state Iowa next week, after officially announcing her candidacy in California. Brown was most recently the campaign manager for Kelly's gubernatorial campaign. She easily won the Democratic primary and, a Harris aide pointed out, received a record number of votes to secure the nomination. Kelly lost to Republican Gov. Chris Sununu by 7 percentage points in November.A Harris aide noted that Brown, a native of Manchester, has spent almost his entire career in New Hampshire. He started as deputy field director for U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan’s first gubernatorial campaign, in 2012, and then worked for Hillary Clinton's 2016 New Hampshire operation.Brown also led Craig's successful 2017 campaign for mayor of Manchester. She defeated four-term Republican incumbent Ted Gatsas to become the city's first female mayor.Harris, a former California attorney general who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2017, announced earlier this week that she is a presidential candidate, joining a Democratic field that is quickly becoming crowded.