By Katherine Gregg
Journal State House Bureau

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Republican state Rep. John Loughlin has hired an aide to former Democratic Governor Bruce Sundlun - who served on a Democrats for Bush steering committee - as his congressional campaign manager.

On Sunday, Loughlin announced his hiring of Cara Cromwell, who held several titles on the Sundlun team in the early 1990's, including executive press assistant, opposition research director for Sundlun's 1990 campaign, and director of policy and research for his 1992 reelection campaign.

Before forming Cromwell Public Affairs in 2005, she worked with veteran Democratic political strategist Brian Lunde and his consulting partner, George Burger, at Edelman Issues Advocacy in Washington, D.C. The firm provided what Loughlin described as "strategic public affairs advice to various corporate clients,'' while "managing grassroots campaigns and garnering third party support for client initiatives.'' (Lunde is a former executive director of the Democratic National Committee.)

Asked how she leaped from the world of Democratic politics to Republican Loughlin's campaign to succeed Patrick J. Kennedy in Congress, Cromwell said: "While I have worked with many Democrats - and count many among my friends - I wouldn't characterize this as a political conversion.

"I'll always be a ticket-splitter because I don't think either party has a monopoly on good ideas or the way to solve them. I still think of myself as a John Chafee Democrat.''

The daughter of former Republican state Rep. Chuck Millard, Cromwell lives in Bristol with her husband and two daughters, and recently served as president of Save Bristol Harbor, an advocacy group battling the proposed siting of a platform for the offloading of LNG tankers in the middle of Mount Hope Bay

"I am thrilled to join the Loughlin campaign because I think we need a Congressman who will focus on creating jobs and improving the economy without bankrupting our children. We're looking forward to a positive issues-focused campaign,'' she said in an e-mail.