Harris's campaign manager departs

When Republican congressional candidate Andy Harris hired a well-regarded campaign veteran to manage his 2010 run, party officials in Washington touted the move as a propitious sign.

It was evidence, they said, that next time would be different. Harris lost narrowly to Democrat Frank Kratovil in 2008, while Republican nominee John McCain was carrying the conservative First District by 20 points.

This year, on the advice of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Harris moved early to upgrade his campaign operation and field a more professional team. Campaign manager Mike Spellings was a prime exhibit in the Harris upgrade.

Now, Spellings has quietly left the campaign.

Spellings, who has helped run Republican campaigns in Minnesota, Virginia and Texas, says he wanted to pursue "other opportunities," which have yet to fully materialize.

Another Republican operative, speaking anonymously to discuss internal campaign dynamics, blamed a personality clash. Spellings and Harris were just a bad fit, this insider said.