Under fire, Pence turns to former communications aide

Gov. Mike Pence, suffering through dwindling public approval ratings and a pair of political debacles, is reaching back to Washington, D.C., for some help from a trusted aide.

Pence announced Friday that his longtime communications director from his time in Congress, Matt Lloyd, would be moving to Indianapolis, to direct the governor's communications office.

Christy Denault, Pence's communications director since summer 2012, announced last week that she would be resigning. Denault cited family responsibilities, including raising triplets, in her resignation letter.

But Denault's departure follows Pence's worst public relations disasters since he returned to Indiana: the administration's failed plan to start a state-run news service called JustIN and Pence's own troubles defending the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

"Christy Denault's departure has nothing to do with the RFRA issue. It was her decision to leave, made before RFRA, in order to attend to the needs of her young family, including a set of triplets," Pence chief of staff Jim Atterholt wrote in an email Friday.

Lloyd will come on board in "late May," according to a news release issued Friday.

"Matt is a person of character whose judgment I value greatly. He will be a tremendous addition to the governor's office," Pence said in a statement.

Lloyd is leaving his job running communications for Koch Industries, the business operation headed by Republican mega-donors Charles and David Koch. Lloyd's work with the Koch brothers, along with former Pence chief of staff Marc Short's work running the Koch brothers' political umbrella group, had contributed to speculation that Pence was angling for a White House bid.

But the Pence team has instead been gearing up behind the scenes for a re-election bid next year.

Lloyd worked as Pence's spokesman when he launched his first gubernatorial bid, almost four years ago. Before that, he led Pence's communications efforts when Pence ran the Republican Study Committee and the House Republican Conference.

Since leaving the Pence campaign in 2012, Lloyd has remained close with Pence's tight-knit inner circle. He also worked as U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman's chief of staff until last year.

Call Star reporter Tom LoBianco at (317) 444-7136. Follow him on Twitter: @tomlobianco.