Vice President Kamala Harris’s communications director Jamal Simmons is leaving his position as Harris continues to churn through staff.
Simmons plans to leave at the beginning of the new year, according to a report from Politico, having become part of Harris’s team in January to help her fix her public image after her difficult first year as vice president.
Harris’ chief of staff Lorraine Voles told staff in an email announcing Simmons’ departure that she hired him to help “steady the ship” of the vice president’s office and that he agreed to serve in the position for a year, according to the report.
The vice president’s office continues to face high turnover, especially in the communications department.
Communications director Ashley Etienne and press secretary Symone Sanders left their jobs in December 2021, and press operations director Peter Velz and deputy director of public engagement Vincent Evans left their positions in January. Deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh left in March.
Symone Sanders speaks onstage during the 2018 Essence Festival presented by Coca-Cola on July 6, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Harris’ chief of staff Tina Flournoy also left in March
The vice president recently hired her third speechwriter after her previous two speechwriters quit last year.
While some Democrats were expecting a likely Harris run for president in 2024 if President Joe Biden turned down the opportunity, that chatter has died down after Democrats did better than expected in the congressional midterm elections.
Biden continues maintaining that his intent is to run for reelection in 2024, but that he will make a final decision in the new year.
“I believe I can beat Donald Trump again,” he said in October.
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