Veteran campaign operative Christie Roberts has been tapped as executive director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as Democrats seek to defend their slim, new majority in the 2022 elections.

Roberts was most recently a senior adviser at the DSCC in 2020, helping facilitate the party’s strategy in retaking the majority. Jessica Knight Henry is being named deputy executive director and chief diversity and inclusion officer for 2022 after serving as the committee’s political and engagement director last cycle.

They are the first two senior staff members hired under Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the new DSCC chairman, with other hires likely to be announced in the coming weeks.

“I know from firsthand experience how Christie and Jessica helped lead the charge to flip the Senate last cycle, and I’m confident the incredible and diverse team they assemble will lead our Democratic incumbents and challengers to more success in 2022," Peters said in a statement.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Roberts and Knight Henry "extraordinarily accomplished strategists who know how to build diverse coalitions and win challenging Senate races across the country."

Democrats face a challenging task to defend their fragile majority in the upcoming midterms. They have to protect incumbent Sens. Mark Kelly in Arizona and Raphael Warnock in Georgia, both of whom were elected in special elections, as well as first-term Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire. They will also be on offense in open GOP seats in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Ohio, and in Wisconsin, where Sen. Ron Johnson has not yet said if he’s running for a third term.

“Senate Democrats are fighting relentlessly to beat this pandemic, help working families get ahead, advance racial justice, and stand up to the GOP’s special interest corruption and dangerous conspiracy theories threatening our democracy,” Roberts said in a statement. "With so much on the line, I’m thrilled to be back at the DSCC leading the fight to strengthen our majority and I’m looking forward to doing everything possible to seize opportunities across this map.”

Before serving as senior adviser in 2020, Roberts managed Sen. Jon Tester’s reelection campaign in Montana in 2018 and was political director for the DSCC in the 2016 cycle. Knight Henry was previously national development director for Supermajority, a women’s advocacy group, and executive director for the Congressional Black Caucus PAC.

“Whether it’s addressing voting rights, making health care more affordable, combating climate change or tackling discrimination and inequality head on, our Senate majority is ready to deliver real progress for the American people,” Knight Henry said.

Related posts:

Kinzinger calls for Gaetz to resign GOP edges back from filibuster cliff on hate crimes bill The GOP’s most important votes: 2 Democrats Democrats hand their foes a weapon as they weigh a filibuster loophole Chip Roy weighs a last-minute challenge to Stefanik for House GOP No. 3 Larry Hogan: Ousting Liz Cheney was a mistake Rep. Schiff: Bannon’s indictment will ‘without a doubt’ lead others to comply with Jan. 6 panel GOP weighs trapping Democrats in Trump’s budget Why governors keep snubbing the Senate Rep. Jackie Speier retiring from Congress Sinema strikes back Schumer, McConnell turn down the heat on debt limit fight