Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle‘s U.S. Senate campaign is relying in part on the expertise of a “digital ninja” who worked for Sen. John McCain‘s presidential campaign. 

Ad consultant Eric Frenchman has worked for a slew of political and corporate clients. In a November 2007 interview, he talked about the tactic of buying online search terms — like a rival’s name, for example — as an ad placement strategy.

In an interview about his work with McCain in 2008, Frenchman said that paid search marketing gave the campaign $4 in donations for every $1 spent. Frenchman declined to speak with DC808 about his work for Lingle, saying he would first need campaign permission.