One of Gov. Mike Easley's former campaign consultants is a certified "maverick," according to Details magazine.

An article in a recent edition of the men's fashion magazine anoints Jay Reiff among "27 agents of change," including hip hop CEO Damon Dash, fashion designer Tom Ford and um, Ryan Seacrest.

Reiff, a consultant for state Treasurer Richard Moore, gets props for leading Democrat Bob Casey to victory over Sen. Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania in November, in part by reading up on the hardball tactics of Lee Atwater.

Reiff's approach — taking the fight to Republicans on their own turf — is seen as essential for the Democrats in 2008, especially in red states like North Carolina, where he helped Democratic governor Mike Easley cruise to victory in '04 by playing up Easley’s undying love for Nascar. "But it's got to be genuine," says the Carhartt-wearing Reiff. "You can't fake it."

Especially since no true-blue Details reader would throw on a pair of Carhartt coveralls — unless it was in some irony-drenched Ashton Kutcher-in-a-trucker-hat kind of way.