As expected, new National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) has picked his chief of staff, Guy Harrison, to run the day-to-day operations at the NRCC. The committee announced Tuesday that Harrison, who has been with Sessions for 14 years, will be the executive director this cycle.

Additionally, in a sign that House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) plans to be actively involved in the NRCC, the committee announced that Johnny DeStefano will serve as deputy executive director. DeStefano is Boehner’s political director, a position the NRCC said he will continue to hold in addition to his responsibilities at the committee.

Boehner backed Sessions heavily for NRCC chairman — a move that showed Boehner wanted to have more influence over the committee this cycle than he did with Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) at the helm of the NRCC in 2008. Having DeStefano as a link between the NRCC and his House leadership office is key to connecting the two operations.

“I’m pleased and honored to have Guy and Johnny in place as we move forward in our efforts to recapture the majority,” Sessions said in a statement. “Guy and Johnny both bring the kind of battle-tested experience to the table that the NRCC needs in what is sure to be a rigorous and successful upcoming campaign cycle.”