Janice Arnold-Jones

Republican gubernatorial candidate Janice Arnold-Jones has hired a new campaign manager who was a key member of a team that helped elect a Republican governor in New Jersey earlier this year.

That new campaign manager, Steve Kush of Kush and Associates LLC, was political director for New Jersey Gov.-Elect Chris Christie’s campaign. Christie’s recent victory over an incumbent has been touted by Republicans as a bright spot that could indicate a swing back to the GOP next year.

Now, Arnold-Jones hopes to bring that energy to her campaign.

“As a campaign grows and builds momentum you need to bring more people into the fold,” Arnold-Jones said in a news release. “Mr. Kush has the experience we felt we needed on the team and, coming off a victory in a state where no one thought a Republican could win, he will be a valuable asset to our campaign.”

“Representative Arnold-Jones has a good campaign team in place,” Kush said. “I’m not looking to change things, just improve them and ramp up the campaign’s fundraising efforts.”

Arnold-Jones faces businessmen Allen Weh and Doug Turner and Doña Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez in the GOP primary.