Joe Biden's reelection campaign is staffing up in Arizona. Here's who's been hired so far

President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has made its first official hires in Arizona, a crucial state in the presidential election this year.

Biden is tapping two veterans of recent Democratic campaigns in Arizona and a Democratic political lawyer to lead his operation in the Grand Canyon State.

Sean McEnerney will serve as the campaign manager in Arizona. McEnerney, a senior adviser to the Arizona Democratic Party, led the party’s unified statewide campaign in 2022, a year that delivered key victories for Democrats in the U.S. Senate and several statewide races including the Arizona governor’s office.

Roy Herrera, an elections attorney who has recently represented the Arizona Democratic Party and candidates including Biden and Sen. Mark Kelly, will serve as state counsel for the campaign.

Jen Cox, who has served as Kelly’s chief of staff and campaign manager, will join the Biden campaign in Arizona as a senior adviser. Cox previously worked for Kelly’s wife, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.

Their hires, shared first with The Arizona Republic, show that Biden’s re-election campaign is gearing up for the general election in November. The announcement comes after some senior Democratic strategists and elected officials expressed concern that Biden was not putting together his re-election team fast enough, particularly in swing states like Arizona.

Ahead of the 2024 election cycle, Democrats have so far opened one field office in Maryvale, and another in the Midtown neighborhood in Phoenix.

“With democracy, our rights and our freedoms on the line, there is no one better to lead the Biden-Harris campaign to victory in Arizona than Jen and Sean,” Biden-Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez wrote in a statement announcing the hires.

“Sean knows the power of our community, and will be a tireless and effective leader to mobilize our coalition of voters, especially Latino voters across Arizona. Alongside Sean, Jen has a battle-tested and winning record on the issues that matter most to Arizonans."

Laura Gersony covers national politics for the Arizona Republic. Reach her at lgersony@gannett.com or 480-372-0389.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Biden campaign staffs up in Arizona