Former Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chip Saltsman is returning to Washington D.C. as chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, the newly elected Republican congressman from Chattanooga.
Saltsman, 42, said today he decided to join Fleishmann's staff after heading the campaign of the Chattanooga attorney last year and leading the transition for the new congressman since November.
"In interviewing people during the transition, it sounded like this would be fun and I needed to get on the team," Saltsman said. "This is such a unique opportunity to be part of a big freshman class of Republicans who helped take control of the House and can help accomplish what we talked about in the campaign."
Saltsman previously worked on Capital Hill in a variety of posts for former U.S. Rep. Don Sundquist, R-Tenn., and former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. He also served as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party during the 2000 election campaign and worked for the National Republican Senatorial Committee before becoming national campaign chairman for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in his 2008 bid for the White House.
Saltsman said he remains close to Huckabee, who is among the Republicans frequently mentioned as a presidential candidate to run again in 2012.
"I'll still stay close to Gov. Huckabee and will see him again this weekend," he said.
In 2009, Saltsman ran unsuccessfully for chairman of the Republican National Committee. The Nashville native withdrew from the contest after he distributed a music parody produced by Satirist Paul Shanklin, "Barack the Magic Negro," which is set to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon."
Saltsman said he wasn't aware of the contents of the CD, which critics said was racially offensive.
"That's in the past," Saltsman said.