Spring has sprung in Rep. Sue Myrick’s (R-N.C.) Capitol Hill office with two new hires and one promotion.

Matt Priest, who began working for Myrick in March 2003 as a legislative assistant, has been tapped for the job of legislative director. Priest, 26, got his start in politics working as the political director for Rep. Robin Hayes’ (R-N.C.) 2002 campaign.

A self described “Marine Corps brat,” Priest was born in Cherry Point, N.C., but considers Burke, Va., his hometown. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University and holds a bachelor’s in political science.

Joining Myrick’s staff as a legislative assistant is James Person Jr. Person, 26, will be responsible for education, agriculture, science and foreign relations among other issues for the Congresswoman. The former assistant director of the Young Leaders Program at the Heritage Foundation has Hill experience working as a legislative correspondent for Rep. David Vitter (R-La.). He has also worked on two Congressional campaigns and for the Republican Party of Louisiana.

Person hails from New Orleans and graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in political communication.

Myrick’s other new hire is Sarah Hale. A native of Silver Spring, Md., Hale will handle constituent letters and e-mails as the Congresswoman’s legislative correspondent. Hale, 21, expects to graduate in May from the University of Maryland with bachelor’s degrees in government/politics and economics. [IMGCAP(1)]

Golden State Switches. Rep. George Radanovich (R-Calif.) has made six recent staff changes, including hiring a new chief of staff and press secretary, in his Capitol Hill office.

Ted Maness has taken over the reigns as head of Radanovich’s office. The former vice president of industry and

government relations for Fannie Mae has also served as executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee and has experience working as chief of staff for Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). Maness, 47, is a graduate of Francis Marion University and holds a degree in political science.

Heather Davis comes from a job as director of partnership marketing for MasterCard’s Travel Category to take over communications responsibilities for Radanovich. Davis, 29, has also worked as a senior account executive for Landmarks Marketing Group, as a public relations director for Deck America and was Miss Maryland in 1998.

The Severna Park, Md., native holds a master’s degree from Louisiana State University, attended Virginia Tech as an undergraduate and is currently pursuing her doctorate at the University of Maryland.

Radanovich’s new executive assistant is Katherine Rossi. Rossi comes to the job with an extensive background in broadcasting. She worked for three years as a weekend assignment editor/field producer for KCRA-TV, an NBC affiliate in Sacramento, Calif., and also worked for KMPH news radio and KJEO-TV, a CBS affiliate in Fresno, Calif.

Rossi, 31, is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara and holds a degree in classics. She calls Visalia, Calif., her hometown.

Evan Miller, 23, has been promoted from her job as executive assistant to legislative assistant responsible for education, appropriations, transportation, judiciary, labor and housing issues. Miller began working for Radanovich in 2002 as a staff assistant in the Congressman’s district office in Fresno, Calif. She is a graduate of the University of California at San Diego and hails from Sanger, Calif.

Darcy Kern, 24, joins the Congressman’s office as a staff assistant responsible for office management and administrative duties. The part-time sales associate at Banana Republic previously interned for Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) and also worked in the history department at Kansas State University. The Kansas State graduate holds degrees in history and Spanish and hails from Bakersfield, Calif.

Rounding out Radanovich’s changes is new legislative correspondent/systems administrator Phil Lighty. Lighty, 24, is a former intern for Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.). He holds a master’s in public policy and a bachelor’s in economics and international studies from Pepperdine University. He calls Hillsborough, Calif., his home.