With less than three months to go before election day, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Weinholtz has shaken up his campaign staff.
UtahPolicy.com has learned that campaign manager Jeff Bell and chief of staff Ernie Gamonal are out, while field director Bob Kubicheck has been elevated to campaign manager.
Kubicheck was the Obama for America director in Wyoming during the 2012 election.
Weinholtz is struggling to gain traction with voters. A UtahPolicy.com survey showed he was down 41-points to Republican Gary Herbert who enjoys a 64-23% margin.
Weinholtz is even having a difficult time consolidating support among Democrats where he only gets 69% support, while 22% say they’ll vote for Herbert.
Weinholtz’s campaign acknowledged the staff changes in a statement provided to UtahPolicy.com.
“With three months until Election Day, the Mike Weinholtz for Governor campaign is ramping up our field and media operations as we move full speed ahead, In order to reach our goals, we have made some internal staffing changes simply as part of a deliberate shift in strategy. Additionally, some staff and positions have been rearranged internally, but no new staff has been brought on. All of our campaign staff and volunteers are energized, working tirelessly, and very excited about the rapidly increasing momentum of this campaign.”
Weinholtz’s wife, Donna, is the subject of a federal investigation for possession of marijuana. Weinholtz announced that his wife was under investigation at the Democratic State Convention, just before defeating Vaughn Cook to secure the nomination. He says his wife uses marijuana to seek relief from chronic pain in her back and knees due to arthritis.
