Kirsten Gillibrand's presidential exploratory committee has hired two senior Iowa staffers as the New York senator continues to build out a campaign infrastructure ahead of Iowa's 2020 caucuses.

Lara Henderson, who was the finance director for Fred Hubbell's 2018 gubernatorial campaign, will serve as Gillibrand's Iowa state director, according to the committee. Previously, Henderson worked as a field organizer for President Barack Obama, a campaign manager for Brad Anderson’s 2014 secretary of state race and finance director for Patty Judge’s 2016 U.S. Senate primary.

Rachel Irwin will serve as Gillibrand's Iowa communications director and as an adviser for early state communications. Irwin was the Midwest press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the 2018 election cycle. She previously worked as a senior associate at A|L Media in Chicago and as communications director for the Maine Democratic Party in 2014.

"We are proud to build on the momentum of Sen. Gillibrand’s first trip to Iowa and announce strategic hires that will help us be successful in the 2020 caucuses," Gillibrand's communications director, Meredith Kelly, said in a statement. "Sen. Gillibrand is excited to build out a robust team with deep roots and experience in the state. She can’t wait to get back to Iowa to continue having conversations and sharing her values in the months ahead.”

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2019/01/28/kirsten-gillibrand-iowa-staff-2020-lara-henderson-rachel-irwin-state-director-president-democrat/2695679002/