TNDP lays off three staffers

The Tennessee Democratic Party has cut its staff from eight to five in what Chair Mary Mancini calls “right-sizing” for a non-election year.

The three fired on Tuesday were Communications Director Spencer Bowers, Deputy Communications Director Jackie Harms and Data Director David Plunk, reports the Nashville Post.

 Bowers had been at the TNDP a year, while the other two staffers had been there longer.

Mancini said the dismissals are simply part of the usual post-election “right-sizing,” not an internal shakeup ahead of the Jan. 28th leadership vote. She is being challenged for the chairmanship of the party by former Metro councilmember Jamie Isabel.

“No, it has nothing to do with that at all,” Mancini said. “This is just normally what happens after elections.”

Mancini’s leadership has been criticized by some party members after Democrats only defeated one incumbent Republican in statewide races and still lost ground in the House — criticisms hitting the national party as well.

…Bowers said he was proud of the work he did for the TNDP.

“I enjoyed my time at the party, and I think the work I did was good work. I think we did a good job of raising issues and holding Republicans accountable with Jeremy Durham and other issues of ethics oversight,” Bowers said.

Mancini said she will be looking for a new communications director to handle issue during the General Assembly.

Further, from The Tennessean:

Mancini said the party had already parted ways with multiple field staff members who had joined the party at the height of the recent campaign. She said the latest wave was to further the return to a post-election office structure.

… “There’s no financial issue,” she said when asked whether fundraising led to the moves. “It’s just the normal ebb and flow of staffing at a staff party.”