More about Newt's Iowa hires: Will Rogers and Craig Shoenfeld

(Update: Rogers has resigned from a paid position with the campaign but will, according to Craig Robinson, stay on in a volunteer role. Politico, writes: "Iowa sources tell me that when the campaign landed Katie Koberg, formerly of Iowans for Tax Relief before a big exodus from that group, Rogers was apparently layered over."

Here is my post about Koberg coming onto the campaign.)

Jennifer Jacobs of the Des Moines Register quotes Gingrich's spokesman, Rick Tyler, as saying of Shoenfeld: “He has a winning track record."

Of Linda Upmeyer, who will serve in the volunteer role of chairman of the Hawkeye state effort, Tyler says: “She’s a real leader and she’s been extraordinarily helpful to us over the years."

Jacobs tells a story of Rogers' past with Gingrich and Tyler:

Tyler recalled how a few years ago, Rogers offered to volunteer for the Republicans and was tasked to be Gingrich’s driver on a trip to the Iowa State Fair.

The gig stretched until very late at night.

“I was thanking Will for taking care of us all day long and through the conservation I learned he’d only been assigned to drive for the morning,” Tyler said. “He said, ‘no, no, that’s fine.’ He was there to serve.”

Tyler said they were impressed that Rogers knew Iowa so well.

“Going around the fair he knew everybody. And everybody knew Will. He’s like a one-man chamber of commerce and tourism division.”