Republican McCain hit with more staff losses

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Struggling Republican presidential contender John McCain suffered another wave of staff resignations on Monday, including his national press team and aides in the early voting states of Iowa and South Carolina.

Campaign communications director Brian Jones and his two deputies resigned along with the research director and another communications aide. Press aides in Iowa and South Carolina also quit, as well as a South Carolina field director.

The resignations come a week after McCain's top two advisers, campaign manager Terry Nelson and chief strategist John Weaver, departed after a poor fundraising quarter that left the one-time front-runner nearly broke more than 15 months before the November 2008 presidential election.

The Arizona senator has been sinking steadily in polls, battered by his support for President George W. Bush's unpopular Iraq war strategy and his backing of an immigration overhaul that has angered conservatives.

Most of the departing staff had long-standing ties to Nelson, political director for Bush's 2004 campaign. Jill Hazelbaker, the top New Hampshire press aide, will take over the media operation, said a departing staffer who requested anonymity.

McCain said during a weekend trip to New Hampshire he would focus his comeback bid on the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, hoping strong showings there can propel him to wins in the big, expensive states holding later contests.

The staff losses in Iowa and South Carolina will not change McCain's plan, and he remains committed to competing in Iowa, which he skipped during his failed 2000 presidential campaign, the staff member said.