Wendy Long Campaign Manager Wadhams to be Replaced by Rob Ryan [UPDATED]

Politicker’s David Freedlander just reported that GOP Senate Candidate Wendy Long’s campaign manager Dick Wadhams has stepped down from his post, and we’ve learned that Wadhams will effectively be replaced by New York-based operative Rob Ryan.

We spoke earlier to Long campaign spokesman David Catalfamo, who said when asked if anyone had left the campaign, “No one’s been fired, for sure.”

“There are campaign folks who come and go, but there hasn’t been anyone fired and Dick Wadhams who was running the campaign from Colorado remains.”

Asked whether the campaign had let go of its campaign manager, Catalfamo said, “I don’t think we’ve ever announced a campaign manager. Dick has always been an advisor to the campaign. He remains a close confidant.”

We had heard that Wadhams took an advisory role because his salary was too high, but could not confirm it. A source close to the campaign said the fact that Wadhams spent so much time in Colorado was seen as a problem for managing the Long campaign’s day-to-day operations.

UPDATE: Long campaign spokesman David Catalfamo sent us this emailed statement confirming the hiring of Rob Ryan to run daily operations.

“Rob Ryan has taken over day-to-day operations for the Wendy Long for US Senate campaign.  Dick Wadhams has been indispensible in orchestrating the first phase of the campaign helping to secure the Conservative nod and the plurality of the Republican support for Wendy in just a few short weeks after entering the Senate primary. Dick remains a valuable resource to the campaign. As we head into the stretch run, Rob’s deep experience and expertise in New York politics will be essential to reaching prime conservative-Republican voters,” Catalfamo wrote.

“Despite rumors from the Turner camp, no one has been fired. Rather than rumor mongering, team Turner might better spend their time explaining their evolving positions on raising taxes and the 2nd amendment for Republican primary voters,” he said.