FRANKFORT — James Comer, the Republican candidate for Agriculture Commissioner, has reached out to the Tea Party by hiring Lexington Tea Party leader and blogger Mica Sims.

Sims will serve as Comer’s state field director and chair his Sixth Congressional District campaign.

“She’ll help me organize in the golden triangle area, the Sixth District Congressional District in particular and also with the Tea Party and Liberty groups across the state,” said Comer.

Sims was active in the campaigns of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett in this year’s Republican primary won by David Williams. Moffett surprised many observers by running better than expected, and he was especially strong in the so-called golden triangle area bounded by Louisville, Lexington and northern Kentucky.

She also operates a website, micasims.com, on which she routinely promotes the Tea Party and its issues while sometimes criticizing some Kentucky Republicans, including Williams.

“I understand some Republicans may have questions about this,” Sims said Friday, “but I support (Comer) 100 percent and I’m very excited about this opportunity to work for his campaign.”

Sims said she won’t be involved in any other campaign, including the governor’s race, because her goal is to help Comer attract voters from both major political parties and the Tea Party. She said she doesn’t want to alienate any of them by speaking out about another race. She said she will coordinate grassroots and volunteer efforts across the state for Comer.

“Comer has a great record in Frankfort and plans to implement many transparency initiatives for the Agriculture Department,” Sims said. “Since he is a farmer himself, he understands the industry and knows how to continue to allow it to strive and grow for the betterment of Kentucky farmers and our commonwealth.”

Comer said he’d advised Williams, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and RPK Chairman Steve Robertson in advance he planned to hire Sims.

“Everyone is excited,” Comer said. “They are all supporting my campaign and they trust my political judgment.”

Scott Jennings, a spokesman for Williams’ campaign, confirmed Comer and Williams spoke earlier in the week and said Williams supports Comer’s campaign and thinks “he’ll make a great Agricultural Commissioner.”

Holly Harris VonLuehrte, an in-house counsel for RPK, also confirmed Robertson and Comer spoke about Sims’ hiring in advance. She said the two men are “close and meet and speak constantly. Steve is supportive of all (of Comer’s) campaign hires.”

Comer, a state representative and farmer from Monroe County, faces Democrat Bob Farmer, a marketer and dinner-circuit speaker from Louisville. Comer has expressed frustration that Farmer has no agricultural experience yet won the Democratic primary over better known candidates with farm backgrounds because – in Comer’s view – of his last name. The job is associated with farming and the current commissioner is Richie Farmer who is also on the ballot as William’s running mate for Lieutenant Governor.

Comer said he plans soon to announce soon a list of prominent Democrats who support his campaign. Along with hiring Sims, he said, that will show his campaign has the support of “establishment Republicans, we’ve got the support of the Tea Party, many elected Democrats and the agricultural community.”

He said Sims has proven “a very hard worker and good organizer.” She is credited with helping to get Moffett supporters to the polls in the primary in her Lexington area, an area won by Moffett.

Comer also announced Friday the campaign chairs for the other five congressional districts: Caroline Cash of Fancy Farm in the First; state Rep. Michael Meredith of Brownsville in the Second; Rachel Ford of Louisville in the Third; Kevin Sell of Newport in the Fourth; and Grayson Smith of Salyersville in the Fifth.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.