Politico's Jonathan Martin reports that multiple campaign sources have said that campaign manager Rick Davis announced to campaign staff this morning that senior adviser Steve Schmidt will take over the day-to-day operations of the campaign.

Schmidt joined the campaign in December 2006, following the successful re-election campaign he managed for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He previously served in counsel roles in the Bush White House.

Martin writes:

McCain sources say Schmidt, who ran Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's reelection campaign and was a top communications aide in Bush-Cheney '04, will coordinate the campaign's daily pro-McCain and anti-Obama message but also will have an increased role in shaping most every facet of the organization including scheduling, policy, coalitions and surrogates.

Davis will focus more on big-picture issues such as general strategy, helping to plan the convention, picking a vice president and tending to the needs of major donors.