Iowa GOP Head Criticizes Walker Staffer

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The chairman of the Iowa Republican Party is lashing out at a new member of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s political team for questioning the state’s role in the presidential nominating process.

Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann told The Associated Press on Tuesday he is troubled by veteran Republican strategist Liz Mair’s recent comments.

Walker’s team recently tapped Mair to lead online communication efforts. In January, Mair wrote on Twitter that “the sooner we remove Iowa’s front-running status, the better off American politics and policy will be.”

Kaufman calls the comments juvenile, naive and ignorant. He says he wants Mair to apologize and learn more about Iowa or “I’d send her packing.”

Walker’s campaign had no immediate response.

Iowa traditionally hosts the nation’s first presidential nominating contest.