Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has brought on Katrina Pierson, a black Tea Party activist, as his new national spokeswoman, Politico reports.
Pierson, who used to stand firmly by the side of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), represents, the news site explains, Trump’s hope to keep his hold on the party lead and keep it away from Cruz, who is also vying for the Republican presidential nomination.
“Katrina is a great addition to our team as we continue to expand throughout the country,” Trump said in a statement about Pierson, the Hill reports. “Katrina understands the need for real change in Washington, D.C., and the importance of competence in the next election.”
As for Pierson, according to Politico, she says she feels her new alliance with the Donald is “perfect.”
“This is a nontraditional campaign,” the outspoken Republican said. “I can be a little bit more who I am. That’s what I mean when I say it’s like a perfect fit.
“[Trump’s] sort of not politically correct. He sort of calls it like he sees it. I’m kind of that way, too,” Pierson added.
The switch of gears, from staunch Cruz supporter to Trump’s mouthpiece, has caught some off guard.
Pierson was very vocal during Cruz’s 2012 Senate bid. However, she told Politico, she likes being an outside activist and is only in the game at this point because she thinks Trump is a better fit for president.
“Cruz would be a good president, but I think right now, with all the hyperpartisanship in the country, I think Trump would be the better person to transition out of Obama,” she told the news site. “It would be a softer transition for some on the left. It would be a harder transition for some on the right.
“When Donald says, ‘I think you’re great, I really want you to work for me,’ I don’t think any sane person would say no to that,” she added.
Read more at Politico and The Hill.
Also on The Root: “Black Tea Partier Katrina Pierson Takes on Obama—and Her Own Party”