WaPo announced today that Kevin Merida will be managing editor, responsible for news and features coverage as well as the Universal News Desk. They report that his new role is effective immediately. Most recently, Merida was in the role of national editor.

“Kevin is a journalist of remarkable accomplishment, with a record of strong leadership. During his 20 years at The Post, he has covered Congress and presidential campaigns, as well as stories that called upon his great strengths as a long-form feature writer. He has cultivated a talented staff on the National desk, and he has won the admiration and affection of his colleagues. I’m delighted to have him leading coverage across the entire newsroom,” said Marty Baron, Executive Editor for The Washington Post, in a statement.

More personal info on Merida… Read more

Former Baltimore Sun reporter David Wood, USA Today writer Jill Lawrence, former WaPo columnist Donna Britt and Chicago Sun-Times reporter Lynn Sweet are a few of the folks that have been lured away by or sought refuge at AOL’s Politics Daily.

Those that have found sanctuary at the start-up boast six-figure salaries without having to report to an office. But can this political paradise compete in the already-saturated internet marketplace against the likes of HuffPo, Politico, Daily Beast and others?

Check out Howard Kurtz‘s article on WaPo.com for more on the power and people behind Politics Daily.