Republican executive candidate and tea party leader Patti Weaver has already parted ways with her campaign manager, Stephanie Miller.

Contacted by the PG, Miller -- who helmed Keith Rothfus' near congressional upset of Jason Altmire, and got our praise here recently -- said she and Weaver had "a test run to see if it was a good fit. We decided what I had to offer and what she needed was not the best fit." It was not a personality clash, nor were there arguments: "We just decided I was not what she needed," said Miller, who added she had leads on other campaign work.

Weaver confirmed the move and said she is interviewing new managers this week, while leaning on experienced volunteers to keep her campaign going.

It's not a particularly bad time for a change like this to happen, especially in an Allegheny County GOP race --  her primary focus right now (like fellow candidates Chuck McCullough and D. Raja) is getting the 500+ signatures necessary to get on the May 17 primary ballot, which is a bigger organizational worry for Republicans than Democrats in the D-heavy county.

They're due March 8 and Weaver said "we're getting together as many as we can. That's the top priority at this point -- without them we aren't even on the ballot."