Joe Biden adds more Pennsylvania staffers, including Western Pa. operatives

Joe Biden has added four new aides to his Pennsylvania campaign staff, including two with experience in Western Pennsylvania, as he builds out his team in a state crucial to the presidential election.

The hires come two weeks after Biden named Philadelphians Brendan McPhillips and Sinceré Harris as state director and senior adviser, respectively.

Some Democrats have worried about Biden’s pace of hiring in Pennsylvania, and the Republican National Committee says it already have more than 100 people on the ground in the state, boasting that it will have an organizing advantage.

Biden’s national headquarters is in Philadelphia, and he, President Donald Trump, and Vice President Mike Pence have peppered the state with personal visits. Recent polls have showed Biden opening up a sizable lead in Pennsylvania, mirroring surveys in other battleground states and nationally as Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has hurt his political standing.

As Pennsylvania political director, Biden has hired Larry Hailsham Jr., a Pittsburgh native who previously worked as the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce’s government affairs manager. He also worked as Western Political Coordinator for Sen. Bob Casey’s 2018 senate reelection campaign.

Michael Feldman, a Philadelphia native, will be Pennsylvania communications director. He most recently served as the deputy communications director for Protect Our Care, which aims to protect the Affordable Care Act. He also worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign in Pennsylvania.

Nandi O’Connor, a lifelong Philadelphian, will be Biden’s digital director for organizing in the state. She previously worked for Organizing Together 2020 PA, which aimed to build out field teams in battleground states, and for Priorities USA, a Democratic super PAC.

» READ MORE: Joe Biden has hired top aides to run his Pennsylvania campaign

And as deputy coordinated political director, Biden hired Amy Dorra, a Philadelphian who previously worked on Rep. Conor Lamb’s victories in conservative leaning districts in Western Pennsylvania.