U.S. Sen. Schmitt names local as 'key' staffer for external communications

Missouri's newest U.S. senator has named a Southeast Missouri resident as a "key" staffer to his office.

Sen. Eric Schmitt named Marianna Deal, originally from Sikeston, Missouri, as his senior adviser for external communications, according to a news release from his office.

Deal was hired as Schmitt's communications director when he was Missouri's attorney general. She also worked at the communications firm Fleishman-Hillard for nearly three decades.

This will not be the first time Deal has worked for the office of a federal lawmaker. She was the press secretary for former Rep. Bill Emerson. He was the congressman for the Missouri 10th District for one term before it was eliminated in 1983. Emerson went on to serve as the representative for the Missouri 8th — now occupied by Rep. Jason Smith — until his death in 1996.

Schmitt beat out Trudy Busch-Valentine in the 2022 Midterms for the seat held by former Sen. Roy Blunt.