By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Republican Party strategist and pollster John Mclaughlin will work on behalf of the Likud Party in the March 28 election, Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday.
Mclaughlin has worked on behalf of many senators and congressmen, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and California Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger. He also advised Netanyahu in the Likud leadership race. American strategist Arthur Finkelstein, who advised the Likud in previous elections, is now advising Israel Beiteinu.
Netanyahu will host all of the Likud's candidates for a motivational lunch meeting at the party's Tel Aviv fairgrounds. Netanyahu will try to improve the moreale of the candidates with a meal consisting of pita, hummus and felafel.
Several Likud candidates were appointed to the party's campaign team on Wednesday, including Yisrael Katz, who will head the operations team; Moshe Kahlon, the election day campaign; Gilad Erdan, the response team; and Dan Naveh, the auxiliary campaign.
The number two man in the party, Silvan Shalom, will not be given a formal role on the campaign, but he will host political rallies around the country together with Netanyahu.