The State House, that is. His governorship has been closely resembling the candidacy of former Attorney General Tom Reilly, and now Governor Deval Patrick has a new chief of staff has he begins to move out of the so-called "honeymoon period" and on passed his first 100 days.

Governor Deval Patrick has tapped his top campaign adviser, Doug Rubin, to replace Joan Wallace-Benjamin as his chief of staff, a move aimed at ramping up his senior staff with politically and media savvy aides, senior administration sources said yesterday.

Patrick is shuffling his staff as he tries to recover from a tumultuous first 100 days in office, during which he made a number of missteps that have weakened his political position on Beacon Hill and damaged public confidence in his ability to handle the job.

Rubin's appointment as chief of staff, which takes effect Tuesday, will give Patrick what many of his critics and supporters say has been lacking in the governor's office in the critical first months in office: a strong hand to guide him through the political minefields on Beacon Hill and to shape the administration's media operations.

Rubin will serve in the top post at least through the budget season, which generally ends in July, and perhaps into the fall. His tenure will depend on how much he is needed and how quickly he can get Patrick's inner circle working effectively, an administration source said.

Ramping up his senior staff with politically and media savvy aides... Yeah, that's a good idea, those are your two weakest areas. Deval Patrick Watch notes a recent phone call made to Deval Patrick, and no, not another shady Ameriquest phone call.