Scott
Walker
Inc.
(page
updated May 24, 2016
announced July 13, 2015
... suspended Sept. 21, 2015.
Headquarters: Madison, WI
see also: pre-campaign
organization
| pro-Walker
super PAC.
Campaign Chairman Michael Grebe
(July 2015) President and CEO of the Lynde and
Harry Bradley
Foundation since 2002. Chairman of Walker’s 2010, 2012 and 2014
campaigns. Chairman and CEO
of Foley & Lardner, 1994-2002; joined the firm in 1970 and made
partner in 1977. Served as member and president of the
Board of Regents for the
University of Wisconsin System. General counsel
to the Republican National Committee and was RNC committeeman for
Wisconsin, 1984-2002; and RNC general counsel, 1996-2000. "Mr.
Grebe's
political
career spans three decades, including positions as chairman of the
Republican Party of Wisconsin, chairman of the Rules Committee of the
Republican National Committee, state chairman for the Reagan-Bush
campaign, state co chairman for the Bush-Quayle campaign, and member of
the National Steering Committee to elect Ronald Reagan in 1980."
J.D. from University of Michigan, 1970. Captain in the U.S. Army,
1962-67. B.S. from the United States Military Academy, 1962.
Campaign Manager Rick Wiley
(started late 2014; first reported building organization by CNN's Peter Hamby on Jan. 7, 2015) Managing director of Mercury LLC's Washington office; in 2014 served as RGA's lead liaison to Rauner, Walker and Abbott gubernatorial races and NRSC lead liaison to Ernst campaign in Iowa. Political director at the RNC in the 2012 cycle, and Western regional political director at the RNC in the 2010 cycle. Managed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)'s gubernatorial campaign, Jan.-June 2009. Deputy political director on Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign. Executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2005-Jan. 2007; RNC Victory director in Wisconsin in 2004; political director of the party from 2001-02. Midwest political manager for Associated Builders and Contractors during the 2000 cycle. Has also worked as a legislative liasion to Illinois Comptroller Loleta Didrickson and a legislative assistant to Wisconsin State Representative Gene Hahn (R-De Forest). Illinois native. twitter
Deputy Campaign Manager Emily A. Cornell
(started as deputy executive director at Our American
Revival in April
2015) Principal at Emily Cornell & Assoc. since May
2013. Executive director and treasurer for Keep Louisiana
Working, 2013-15. A regional political director at the RNC,
May 2012-March 2013; started
with
the
RNC
in
March
2010
as
Hawaii
Victory director for three months
for the special election, then served as a regional Victory director
overseeing operations in targeted CDs in OR, CA and ID, and as deputy
political director (March 2011-June 2012). Deployment director
for Virginia Victory
2009. Regional political director on Texans for Kay Bailey
Hutchison, 2009. Regional field director on Texas Victory 2008,
then went to Minnesota for the Senate recount. Regional political
coordinator on the Rudy Giuliani presidential campaign, 2007-Feb.
2008. Presidential appointee at the U.S. Department of Labor,
2006-7. B.A. in political science, communications from Hope
College, 2006.
Senior Advisor Ed Goeas
President and CEO of The
Tarrance
Group. (The firm did polling for Walker's campaigns for
governor).
Political Director Matt Mason
(first reported on Jan. 28,
2015 by Politico's
Mike
Allen)
National field director at the RNC in the 2014 cycle from the latter
part of 2013. Served as a RNC regional political director in the
2012 cycle and for the first part of 2013. Executive political
director for the Michigan Republican Party in 2010. Victory
director in Virginia in 2009. Regional political director for the
Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee covering the Great Lakes region,
2007. Ohio Victory director in the '04, '06, and '08 cycles.
After Sept. 11, 2001 Mason joined the U.S. Marine Corps; he served with
Lima Company 3rd Battalion 25th Marines in Iraq in 2005 and is a combat
veteran. A field representative for the Ohio Republican Party in
2001. Victory coordinator for the Ohio Republican Party in
2000. Mason got his start in politics in the late 90's in
Southeast Ohio managing five successful local races while studying
political management at Ohio University; degree in political
management, Dec. 2000. twitter
Deputy Political Director Danny O'Driscoll
(reported by Time's Zeke J. Miller on March 1, 2015) Vice president at Political Ink, Inc.. Wisconsin state director on Romney for President in the Fall; previously the campaign's Northeast and Lakes regional political director, working on primary campaigns in eight states; started as one of two deputy state directors on Romney's NH primary campaign. National absentee and early vote director in the political department at the RNC in Fall 2010. Managed businessman Paul Huber's campaign for the Republic nomination in the May 18, 2010 primary in PA-3 (Mike Kelly won the primary). Managed political operations in the Northeast region for Freedom's Watch in the 2008 cycle. Worked on John Rounsaville for Gongress in MS-3 in first part of 2008. Worked in external relations for the 2004 Republican National Convention. Worked for Rep. Chris Chocola (R-IN). Graduate of the University of Notre Dame.
Deputy Political Director Wells Griffith
(reported by Time's Zeke J. Miller on March 1, 2015) Managed RNC chair Reince Priebus' successful re-election. Candidate for Congress in the Sept. 24, 2013 special election in AL-1 finishing fifth with 11-percent of the vote. Deputy chilef of staff and eariler special assistant to RNC chairman Reince Priebus from March 2011. Principal at Capitol Specialties, LLC. Led Bryan Taylor's successful campaign for state Senate in 2010. Managed Steven Palazzo's successful campaign for Congress in MS-04 in 2008. Executive director of the Mississippi Republican Party under Gov. Haley Barbour. J.D. from Mississippi College of Law, 2009; B.A. in history, Spanish from the Virginia Military Academy, 2004. Grew up in Mobile, AL. twitter
Senior Advisors on National Conservative Outreach
(first reported Feb. 5, 2015 by the Washington
Examiner's Rebecca Berg)
Gregg Keller
Founder (2014) of Atlas Strategy Group. Executive director of the American Conservative Union. Executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. National coalitions director on Mitt Romney’s 2007-08 presidential campaign. Managed Sen. Jim Talent's 2006 U.S. Senate re-election campaign. State director for Sen. Jim Talent. Missouri communications director on Bush-Cheney '04, then finished the campaign as Election Day coordinator in New Hampshire. Keller's first position in politics was as travel aide to then-Congressman Jim Talent in his successful 2002 Senate election campaign against Jean Carnahan in Missouri; following the campaign he served as Talent's political director. Financial analyst in Boston. B.A. in English literature from Florida State University, 1999. Clayton, MO native. twitter
Gary Marx
Co-founder and senior partner at Madison
Strategies, LLC. Executive director of the Faith &
Freedom Coalition for three years. Vice president at Century
Strategies heading up their Washington D.C. office and also leading the
Judicial Crisis Network; executive director of the Judicial
Confirmation
Network
and president of Principium Consulting, a public policy and public
affairs
consulting firm. Conservative coalitions director for the Romney
presidential campaign in 2007-08; reported as an advisor in Dec.
2006. Outreach to social conservatives on Bush-Cheney
'04. Development director and
lobbyist
for The Family Foundation of Virginia, Focus on the Family's VA
affiliate. Worked for Ralph Reed at Century
Strategies.
Master’s degree in political management from Regent University; B.A. in
political science from James Madison University. twitter
Diana Banister
(in the campaign's july leadership team
announcement) Partner at Shirley
& Banister Public Affairs; started at the firm in 1997, and
named partner in 2001.
COMMUNICATIONS
Communications Director Kirsten Kukowski
(first reported Feb. 2, 2015 by CNN's Mark
Preston...Kukowski transitioned over to OAR during Feb.) Came to
Our American Revival
from position as deputy communications director/press secretary at the
RNC; started at the RNC as press secretary in Jan. 2011.
Spokeswoman
on Rep. Mark Kirk's successful 2010 campaign for U.S. Senate.
Midwest
regional press secretary at the RNC in 2009-10. Communications
director at the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Jan. 2007-March 2009,
including WI Victory communications director in Fall 2008. Press
secretary to Congressman Mark Green, May 2006-Jan. 2007. B.A. in
journalism and political science from University of Wisconsin-Madison,
2006. twitter
National Press Secretary AshLee Strong
(Feb. 26, 2015 tweet) Came to OAR from the
Office of Sen. John
Thune, where she served for more than four years, most recently as
senior communications director and spokeswoman for the Senate
Republican Conference and previously as communications director and as
press secretary. Press secretary for U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore
Capito (WV). Communications aide for the Senate Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. An aide at the White
House Office of National Drug Control Policy in the George W. Bush
administration. Graduate of University of Montana, 2007.
From Montana. twitter
Traveling Press Secretary Matt Connelly
(early Aug. 2015) Press secretary at the NRSC
from March 2015.
Press secretary at Cory Gardner for U.S. Senate, Sept.-Nov. 2014.
Press secretary for the Colorado Republican Committee, June-Sept.
2014. Communications director for Colorado Senate Republicans,
Jan.-May 2014. Regional press secretary at the RNC, Jan.
2012-Jan. 2013. Deputy communications director on Jon Huntsman
for President, June-Dec. 2011; communications advisor for H PAC,
May-June 2011. Deputy press secretary to Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger, June-Dec. 2010. Deputy press secretary on Steve
Poizner for Governor (CA), June 2009-June 2010. Communications
manager to Gov. Schwarzenegger, June 2008-June 2009. Bachelor's
degree in politics from The Catholic University of America, 2008.
twitter
Regional Press Secretary Stacy Day
Started as a regional press secretary for OAR in April
2015.
Deputy press secretary (Dec. 2013-March 2015) and intern (June
2013-Dec. 2013) at the Republican Governors Association.
Legislative intern in the Office of Gov. Scott Walker, Jan.-May
2013. A regional field director on Tommy Thompson for Senate,
May-Nov. 2012. B.A. in journalism and political science from the
University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2013. twitter
Press Assistant Lauren Fine
(March 2015) Booker at Fox News Channel, Dec.
2014-March 2015;
production assistant for "The Five" at Fox News Channel,
Feb.-Dec. 2014. B.A. in political science, legal studies from
Washington University in St. Louis, 2014. Fine also
interned in the Office of Gov. Chris Christie (May-Aug. 2011) and on
his re-election campaign (April-Aug. 2013).
Rapid Response Josh Falzone
Deputy director, state level for America Rising, from
Oct. 2013. Policy analyst in the Office of Gov. Susana Martinez
(NM), Nov. 2012-Oct. 2013. Campaign representative in Indiana for
the National Rifle Association, April-Nov. 2012. Field director
on Jim Gray for Orlando Commissioner, Feb. -April 2012.
Undergraduate degree in political science from the Univesity of Central
Florida. twitter
Photographer Andrew Snow
Photographer for John McCain 2008, May 2007-Nov.
2008. Photographer for the GW Hatchet, 2000-04. B.A. from
The George Washington University, 2004. twitter
Walker Research Director Heather Smith
Senior advisor on Walker's 2014 re-election
campaign. Runs a consulting business and is a 20
year veteran of Wisconsin
government and politics, including serving as staff to Gov. Tommy G.
Thompson and Sens. Dave Zien, Bob Welch Neal Kedzie, Luther Olsen, and
Alberta Darling. Bachelor's degree from University of
Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Wisconsin native.
Research Director Amy Leedecke
Part of the research team at American Crossroads. Deputy research director at the NRSC, Jan. 2009-Dec. 2010. Senior research analyst at Romney for President, Jan. 2007-Feb. 2008. Senior ressearch analyst at the NRSC, April-Dec. 2006. Legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Represenatives, 2002-06. twitter
Policy Director Andrew Bremberg
(reported by Politico's
Burgess
Everett
on
May
15,
2015
"overseeing
both
domestic
and
foreign
policy")
Comes
to
OAR
from
position
as
policy
advisor
and
counsel
on
nominations
to
Senate
Majority
Leader
Mitch
McConnell,
March
2014-May
2015.
Department
manager
at
MITRE,
Feb.
2009-Feb.
2014.
Chief
of
staff
in
the
Office
of
Public
Health
and
Science
(July
2007-Jan.
2009),
special
assistant
in
the
immediate
Office
of
the
Secretary
(July
2005-July
2007)
and
special
assistant
to
the
Executive
Secretary
(July
2001-July
2005)
at
the
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services.
J.D.
from
The
Catholic
University
of
America's
Columbus
School
of
Law,
2006;
B.A.
in
psychology
and
theology
from
Franciscan
University
of
Steubenville,
2001.
Domestic Policy Advisor Kristin Jackson
(reported by Politico's Darren Samuelsohn on Feb. 18, 2015; start early March) A director at DCI group from Feb. 2014. Independent consultant for DCI Group, IRI and others, Feb. 2013-Jan. 2014. Staff director (Jan. 2011-Jan. 2013) and minority staff director (April 2010-Jan. 2011) at the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Assistant program officer for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Republican Institute, Sept. 2009-Sept. 2010. Legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Connie Mack (R-FL), Aug. 2006-May 2009. M.A. in government, international relations from Georgetown University, 2007; B.S. in political science and Spanish from Missouri State University, 2005.
Foreign Policy Advisor Mike Gallagher
(reported by Politico's
Darren
Samuelsohn
on
Feb.
18,
2015;
start
early
March)
Professional
staff
member
at
the
Senate
Foreign
Relations
Committee
from
Aug.
2013.
Captain
in
the
U.S.
Marines
Corps,
June
2006-Aug.
2013.
M.A.
in
government
(2013)
and
M.A.
in
security
studies
(2012)
from
Georgetown
University;
M.S.
in
strategic
intelligence
from
National
Intelligence
University
(2010);
B.A.
in
international
relations
and
affairs
from
Princeton
University,
2006.
Foreign Policy Advisor Robert C. O'Brien
(reported by National Review's Eliana Johnson on May 11, 2015) Managing partner at Arent Fox LLP for California from Jan. 2007. Managing partner at O'Brien Abeles LLP, 1999-2007. A legal officer with the United Nations Security Council (Compensation Commission) in Geneva, Switzerland, 1996-98. Associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and affiliates, 1991-96. J.D. from UC Berkeley, 1991; B.A. degree from UCLA, 1988. Served as a major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the US Army Reserve, 1992-2005.
Senior Advisor on Foreign Policy and Defense Former Sen. Jim Talent
(reported by CNN's Erin McPike on March 26,
2015) Senior fellow at the American Enterprise
Institute and director of the National Security 2020 project from
Dec. 2014; also partner at Banner
Public
Affairs. Advisor on both of Mitt Romney's presidential
campaigns; in 2011-12 Talent was a member of both the economic policy
team (announced Sept. 2011) and the foreign policy and national
security advisory team (announced Oct. 2011). In 2007-8 he was
Romney for President domestic policy task force chairman (announced
Feb. 2007). Distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation from
Jan. 2007. Elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in 2002
special election; lost 2006 re-election bid. Elected to Congress
in 1992; served eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1984 at age 28;
served eight years. Law clerk to Judge Richard A. Posner.
J.D. from University of Chicago Law School, 1981. A.B. in
political science from Washington University in St. Louis. twitter
Chief Data Officer Mark Stephenson
(first reported Feb. 2, 2015 by CNN's Mark
Preston) Co-founder of Cardinal Insights, a data
targeting, intelligence and
statistical modeling firm with offices in Washington, DC and Austin,
TX, from Oct. 2013; and owner of Two Bytes Data, a technology and data
analysis consulting firm, from May 2013. Worked on Joni Ernst's
2014 U.S. Senate campaign. University of Michigan, 2005. twitter
Deputy Chief Data Officer Ellen
Bredenkoetter
(started as deputy CDO on Walker's Our American Revival in March 2015) National data director (April 2014-March 2015) and regional data manager, (Jan.-March 2014) at the NRCC. Deputy director of political analytics at Romney for President, April-Nov. 2012; political intern on the campaign from June 2011-March 2012. Finshed bachelor's degree from University of Alabama in Dec. 2013. twitter
Chief Digital Officer Matt Ozckowski
Digital director on Walker's 2014 re-election campaign
from Aug.
2013. Digital director at Advocacy Group Inc., June 2011-Aug.
2013. Account manager at Hynes Communications, Dec. 2010-May
2011. Digital director at Robitaille for Governor, Aug.-Dec.
2010. Communications director on Bernier for Congress, May-Aug.
2010. Account manager at Hynes Communications, Dec. 2009-July
2010. eCamapign at the RNC, June-Dec. 2008. B.A. in
political science from James Madison University. twitter
Chief Technology Officer Darren Bolding
Started as CTO on Our American Revival in March
2015. Director of
DevOps in the RNC's Siicon Valley office, March 2014-March 2015.
Consultant on OpenStack, Jan. 2014-March 2015. Network architect
at Gazillion, Dec. 2012-Jan. 2014. Director of systems
engineering and infrastructure at Nebula, Inc., Nov. 2011-Dec.
2012. director of network engineering, information
technology/security at Intelius, Nov. 2006-Sept. 2011. Prncipal
network architect at Digeo, Sept. 2002-Nov. 2006. Director of
professional services at Threshold Networks, 2000-02. Manager of
consulting at F5 Networks, 1998-2000. Network engineer at Enron
Communications, 1997-98. Network engineer at South Coast
Computing Services, 1995-96. Studied computer science and
linguistics at Rice University, no degree completed. twitter
Content Director Justin LoFranco
(March 2015) Creative director at the RNC from Nov. 2013. Digital director for Office of Rep. Darrell Issa and the House Oversight Committee, from Jan. 2013. Digital director in the Office of the Majority Whip, May 2012-Jan. 2013. Digital consultant to Romney for President, Sept.-Nov. 2013. Deputy director of digital strategy (April 2011-May 2012) press assistant and deputy Republican clerk (June 2010-May 2011) to House Oversight Committee; press assistant to Rep. Darrell Issa, Nov. 2009-June 2010. Degree in political science from Biola University, 2008. twitter
Finance Director Colleen Coyle
Finance director on Walker's 2014 re-election campaign. Finance director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. B.A. in sociology from Southern Methodist University, 2010. From Madison, WI.
National Finance Consultant Jenny Drucker
(first reported Feb. 4, 2015 by Politico's James Hohmann and Kenneth P. Vogel) Per Hohmann and Vogel, Drucker recently started her own firm with Alex Lawhon. NRCC finance director in the 2014 and 2012 cycles; NRCC deputy finance director in the 2010 cycle. PAC director at the NRSC during the 2008 cycle. PAC director at the NRCC in the 2006 cycle. Worked on the 2000 and 2004 Bush/Cheney campaigns, the 2004 Republican National Convention, and the 2001 and 2005 Presidential Inaugural Committees. Staff assistant, then office manager for Rep. Sessions from 2000 to May 2004. Graduate of Texas A&M University, 1999.
National Finance Consultant Alex Lawhon
(first reported Feb. 4, 2015 by Politico's James
Hohmann and Kenneth P.
Vogel) Deputy finance director at the NRCC in the 2014 and 2012
cycles. Midwest regional finance director on
John McCain's
2008 presidential campaign. NRSC director of major donors in the
2006 and 2004 cycles.
?Fundraising Susan Lilly
(reported Feb. 13, 2015 by The Texas Tribune)
President, CEO and
founder (1996) of Lilly
& Company, based in Austin, TX. Worked in various
capacities including campaign manager, scheduler, and organization
director on state senate and
statewide campaigns. Staffer for Republican Railroad Commissioner
Barry Williamson. B.A. in communications from Stephen F. Austin
State University. Grew up in Nacogdoches; sixth generation Texan.
National Finance Co-Chair Todd Ricketts
(reported by CNN on July 7, 2015) A director of Chicago Baseball Holding LLC (the Chicago Cubs), co-owner of Higher Gear bike shops in Wilmette and Highland Park, and investor and consultant. Worked for Knight Capital in New Jersey. B.A. in economics from Loyola University of Chicago. Part of the Ricketts family; father Joe Ricketts was a co-founder of TD Ameritrade.
National Finance Co-Chair Jon Hammes
(reported
by CNN on July 7, 2015) Minority owner in
the Milwaukee Bucks. Founder and
managing partner of Hammes
Company. Midwest regional partner for Trammell Crow
Company. M.S. in real estate appraisal and investment analysis
and B.S. degree from University of Wisconsin.
Senior Trip Coordinator Jonathan Wetzel
(July 2015) Deputy campaign manager on Friends
of Scott Walker
(2014
re-election). Assistant campaign manager on Tommy
Thompson for
Senate, Sept.-Dec. 2012. Political director at the Republican
Party of Wisconsin, June-Sept. 2012. Statewide field director on
Friends of Scott Walker, Nov. 2011-June 2012. External relations
coordinator in the Office of Gov. Scott Walker, Jan.-July and Aug.-Nov.
2011. Field rep. on Friends of Scott Walker, July-Dec.
2010. Graduate of Marquette University, 2010.
Advance Lead/Trip Coordinator Will Neitzel
(started as trip coordinator at Our American Revival in May 2015) Senior advance coordinator for Friends of Scott Walker, May 2014-May 2015. External relations coordinator in the Office of Gov. Scott Walker, Aug. 2013-Aug. 2014. Law enforcement dispatcher for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Dec. 2012-Aug. 2013. Operations assistant on Tommy Thompson for U.S. Senate, June-Sept. 2012. B.s. in criminal justice/police science from University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 2012.
Operations/Advance Alec Hanna
(started at Our American Revival in April 2015)
Advance
coordinator on Friends of Scott Walker, Aug. 2014-March 2015.
Field coordinator on Duey Stroebel for Congress, May-Aug. 2014.
Degree in political science from Marquette Universisty, 2014.
Director of Scheduling Deidre Almstead
Executive assistant/scheduler (Jan. 2013-May 2015) and
deputy scheduler (Dec. 2010-Dec. 2012) to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn; staff
assistant in the U.S. Senate, June-Dec. 2010. Graduate of
Southern Methodist University, 2010. twitter
Ballot Access Joe Fadness
(announced by the Wisconsin GOP on July 27,
2015) Executive director (Jan. 2013-July 2015) and political
director (Aug.-Dec. 2012) of the Wisconsin Republican Party.
Campaign manager
at Eric Hovde for U.S. Senate, Feb.-Aug. 2012. Director of
external relations for Gov. Scott Walker, Jan. 2011-Feb. 2012.
Operations director at Friends of Scott Walker, June 2007-Nov.
2010. Advance representative for the White House, May 2005-Dec.
2008. B.A. in political science, business administration from
Marquette University, 2007. Fadness interned for Walker when he
was Milwaukee County Executive. twitter
Personal Aide Tom Evenson
Communications director on Walker's 2014 re-election
campaign from
March 2014. Press secretary in the office of
Gov. Scott Walker,
April 2013-March 2014. Communications director for Senate
Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, Dec. 2012-April 2013.
Communications director (June-Dec. 2012) and deputy communications
director (Nov. 2011-June 2012) at Friends of Scott Walker. Press
aide in the Office of Gov. Scott Walker, Jan.-Nov. 2011. Field
rep. on Friends of Scott Walker, June 2009-Dec. 2010. B.S. in
political science, communication studies from University of
Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2009. twitter
Personal Aide to Tonette Walker Aly Higgins
(June 2015) Founder (Nov. 2013), steering
committee and advisory
board member of RightNOW Women PAC, Director of events at the
Republican State Leadership Committee, Jan. 2014-June 2015.
Manager of government affairs at Dow Lohnes Government Strategies,
April-Dec. 2013. Speakers bureau coordinator (March 2012-April
2013), Growth and Opportunity Project (Jan.-March 2013) and convention
delegate coordinator (June-Aug. 2012) at the RNC, B.A. in
communications, law, economics and government (CLEG) from American
University.
Senior Advisor and Outside Counsel Ben Ginsberg
Partner at Joines Day since May 2014. Previously partner at Patton Boggs LLP; joined the firm in 1993. Senior advisor and national counsel on Romney's 2011-12 campaign. National counsel on Romney's 2007-08 campaign. Outside counsel for the Bush-Cheney '04 (announced May 30, 2003; resigned Aug. 2004). Outside counsel for the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2000 and was a central figure in the Florida recount. Prior to joining Patton Boggs, Ginsberg served eight years as counsel to the RNC, the NRSC, and the NRCC. He worked for five years as a newspaper reporter for the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, the Berkshire Eagle and the Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise, prior to law school. J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, 1982. A.B. from University of Pennsylvania, 1974.
Polling
Brian Tringali, partner at The
Tarrance Group.
B.J. Martino, senior vice president
at The Tarrance Group.
Whips on Capitol Hill
(reported by Politico's James Hohmann on Feb. 20, 2015)
Pete Meachum - Chief of Staff to U.S.
Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-7)
McKay Daniels - Chief of Staff to U.S.
Rep. Reid Ribble (WI-8)
Notes
After Walker suspended his campaign Politico reported a staff of
"about 85." See: Mike Allen and Alex Isenstadt. "Walker's
campaign manager unloads." Politico,
Sept.
23,
2015.
Headquarters: 2775 86th St., Urbandale.
...The
Washington Post reported
on Feb. 8, 2015 that OAR had leased office space in
Urbandale;
The Des Moines Register
reported the address on Feb. 10.
Senior Iowa Advisor David Polyansky
(first reported on
Jan.
23,
2015
by
the
Des
Moines Register) President
at New
Strategies
Group, based in Houston. Strategist on Joni Ernst's 2014 U.S.
Senate
campaign. CEO and deputy campaign manager on Michele Bachmann's
campaign to early Sept. 2011. Chief operating officer and senior
advisor on Mike Huckabee's
campaign starting early Nov. 2007. Came to the Huckabee campaign
from
his position as chief operating officer of Americans for Fair
Taxation, 2006-07. Attorney at McFall, Sherwood & Breitbeil
in Houston.
Served in Iraq in 2004-05 with the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, a
Houston-based Marine Corps Infantry Battalion, in Al Anbar.
Attorney
practicing commercial litigation defense in Houston. Experience
includes campaign manager for an initiative campaign, spokesperson and
policy director for a congressional candidate, volunteer for a
presidential election, chief of staff for a City of Houston council
member, and an account executive with an advertising/public relations
agency during law school. Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps;
served on
active duty from 1992-97. J.D. from the University of Houston Law
Center, 2002; B.S. in political science from the
University of St. Thomas. twitter
State Director Josie Peterson
Political director at Just Win Strategies from Jan. 2015. Deputy political director (July-Nov. 2014) and statewide field director (Jan.-June 2014) on Joni Ernst for U.S. Senate. B.A. in political science and government from University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2013. twitter
Strategic Advisor / Iowa Communications
Director Eric Woolson
(first reported on Feb. 24, 2015 by the Des Moines Register)
President and CEO of The
Concept
Works, a
public, media and government relations and crisis management firm in
West Des Moines that he founded in 2002. Woolson and his son also
own and operate Lucky
Badger Farms. Iowa communications director (from Sept. 2011)
and campaign manager from Oct. 27, 2011-Jan. 2012) on Bachmann for
President. State spokesman and senior consultant on the
Pawlenty for President campaign. Campaign manager on Bob Vander
Plaats' for Governor in the June 8, 2010 primary. Campaign
manager for
Mike Huckabee's 2007-08 Iowa caucus campaign; started as coordinator of
Huckabee's Hope for America PAC in June 2006. Communications
director on then Gov. George W. Bush's Iowa caucus campaign,
1999-2000. Communications director for Gov. Terry Branstad during
his final term. Previously worked for 20 years as a member of the
Iowa press corps, including 11 years at the Waterloo Courier. O.Kay
Henderson notes on Radio Iowa, the blog
(June 13, 2006) that, "Woolson left the Waterloo Courier in 1987 to
work as press secretary for Delaware Senator Joe Biden’s Iowa
effort." He is also author of Grassley: Senator from Iowa
(Mid-Prairie Books, Nov. 1995).
Eastern Iowa Carlos Cruz
Regional Victory director for the RNC in Cedar Rapids,
Aug.-Nov.
2014. Policy analyst for New Jersey Senate Republicans, Jan.-Aug.
2014.
Ashley Hahn
Political director and grassroots coordinator on Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin's 2014 re-election campaign. Previously worked for former Corporation Commissioner and congressional candidate Denise Bode, the Victory campaign, and Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy. University of Central Oklahoma graduate; originally from Piedmont.
Iowa Leadership
Team
leaders in all 99 counties (announced Sept. 14, 2015)
- first round of 65 endorsements
(announced Aug. 5,
2015)
State senators: Jerry Behn,
Boone; Mark Costello, Imogene;
Randy
Feenstra, Hull; Julian Garrett,
Indianola;
Mark Segebart,
Vail; Tom
Shipley, Nodaway; Amy Sinclair,
Allerton;
Brad Zaun,
Urbandale, and Dan
Zumbach, Ryan.
State representatives: Terry
Baxter, Garner; Brian Best,
Glidden;
Dave
Deyoe, Nevada; Dean Fisher,
Garwin;
Lee Hein, Monticello;
and John
Landon, Ankeny.
County and city officials: Dallas
County
Recorder
Chad
Airhart,
Union
County
Treasurer
Kelly
Busch,
Hardin
County
Treasurer
Machel
Eichmeier,
Marshall County Treasurer Jarret Heil
(who currently also serves as
Chair of the Iowa Republican County Officials Association and President
of the Iowa County Treasurers Association), Dallas County Sheriff Chad
Leonard, Muscatine County Attorney Alan Ostergren, Winneshiek County
Treasurer Wayne Walter,
Urbandale Mayor Bob Andeweg,
Clive Mayor Scott
Cirksena, West Des Moines Mayor Steve
Gaer and Waukee City Councilman
Rick Peterson.
Also among Walker's Iowa leadership team are former state Sen. Nancy
Boettger of Harlan and former state Sen. Dave Mulder of Sioux Center
and more (see the list).
- initial endorsements
On March 3, 2015 Radio Iowa's O. Kay Henderson reported four state
Senators, led by Brad Zaun, are endorsing Walker.
Sen. Brad Zaun (District 20,
Urbandale) >
Sen. Randy Feenstra (District
2, Hull) >
Sen. Dan Zumbach (District 48,
Ryan) >
Sen. Tom Shipley (District 11,
Nodaway) >
On March 5, 2015 several outlets
reported
that
two
county
officials
have
joined
Our
American
Revival's
Iowa
leadership
team (+):
Dallas County Recorder Chad Airhart
> twitter
Marshall County Treasurer Jarret Heil
Senior New Hampshire Advisor Andy Leach
(first reported on Feb. 17, 2015 by NH Journal)
Founder
(Jan. 2014) and president of LG
Strategies, a consulting firm based in Manchester. Outreach
director to Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Jan. 2011-Jan. 2014. Executive
director of the New Hampshire Republican Party from Jan. 2009-Jan.
2011, under chairman former Gov. John Sununu. Director of
operations on Sen. John Sununu's 2008 re-election campaign, and
earlier constituent liaison in Sununu's Senate office.
Executive director of the NH Republican Party in 2006 under Wayne
Semprini. One of two field coordinators (coordinated data, maps,
call sheets and such for the field reps) for NH Victory in Fall
2004. Worked on Sen. Gordon Humphrey's 2002 and 2000
campaigns. Bachelor's degree in political science and government
from Rivier College, 2000.
Senior New Hampshire Advisor Liz
Christoffersen
(announced Aug.
24, 2015) Self-employed
political consultant
since 1992, and vice president of MEC Sales & Services, Inc. since
1990. A senior adviser to the Marilinda Garcia for Congress
campaign in 2014. Campaign manager on John Stephen for Governor
in 2010. Campaign coordinator for Fred Thompson's 2008 New
Hampshire primary campaign. Executive director at J2K
Corporation, 1986-88. Program development and marketing manager
at American Medical International, 1984-86. Marketing associate
at the St. Paul Medical Center in Dallas, TX, 1982-84. M.A. in
economics (1982) and B.S. in business administration (1980) from
Central Michigan University. twitter
New Hampshire Day-to-Day Michael Bir
(first reported on Feb. 17, 2015 by NH
Journal) Political
director for the Michigan Republican Party, March 2013 through the 2014
cycle. RNC Ohio Victory director, May-Nov. 2012; Victory director
for the Ohio Republican Party, Feb. 2010-May 2012. Insurance
agent at American Financial Planners, 2004-12. B.A. in political
management from Ohio University, 2004. twitter
Kayla Berube
Started with OAR in April 2015. Deputy campaign
manager on Wagner
for Senate in Orange County, CA. GOTV director on Dr. Monica
Wehby for U.S. Senate campaign, Aug.-Dec. 2014. Executive
director at the Hawaii Republican Party, Sept. 2013-July 2014.
Regional field director on Gabriel Gomez for U.S. Senate, Feb.-July
2013. Regional field director for Massachusetts Victory, Nov.
2011-Dec. 2012. Regional political coordinator at the RNC,
July-Nov. 2011. twitter
Co-Chairs
(announced Aug. 19, 2015)
Cliff Hurst
Former vice chair of the NHRSC, and chaired
the Manchester Republican Committee in 2004-05 and 2010.
Co-chair of Mike Huckabee's 2007-08 NH primary campaign. Day job
is sales consultant at Merrimack Street Volvo. Founded Hurst
deGraffenreid Wealth Management and served as Director of Human
Resources at the Palazzi Corporation. Senior vice president and
COO of CEI Corporation from 1981-86. Served as a civilian clergy
in the
military in Europe. (Hurst's endorsement of Walker first reported
by John DiStaso at NH Journal on March 17, 2015)
Phyllis Woods
Served four terms as a New Hampshire State
Representative from
Dover. Former executive board member of the New Hampshire
Republican Party, and a former chairman of the Strafford County
Republican Committee. RNC national committeewoman for New
Hampshire from 2007-12.
Chris Wolfe
Entrepreneur and longtime New Hampshire political
activist. Wolfe
is president and CEO of MNR Technology, Inc., which designs and
manufactures HMI systems and components. Rockingham county chair
on Mitt Romney's NH primary campaigns. Chairman of the Derry GOP
from 1996-2006.
Director Dan
Tripp
(reported
by The
State's Andy
Shain on May 7, 2015) Founder (March 2011) and president of
Ground Game Strategies, Inc., based in Mauldin, SC. National
field director at Friends of Herman Cain, Dec. 2010-March 2011; Trip
also worked on Sen. John McCain's 2000 campaign and Sen. Phil Gramm's
1996 campaign. National political director at Americans for
Limited Government in Fairfax, Virginia, June 2006-Dec. 2010.
State Representative in the South Carolina General
Assembly, 1994-2006. President and owner of Carolina Mortgage
Solutions, 2004-06. Founder and operation of Tripp Insurance
Agency, 1995-2004. M.B.A. from Winthrop University, 2002.
M.S. in public relations from Suffolk University, 1993. twitter
Mike Lukach
(April 2015; reported
by
The
State's Andy
Shain on May 7, 2015) Campaign manager on Stewart Mills' campaign
for Congress in Minnesota's 8th CD, Feb.-Nov. 2014 (one of the most closely contested races
of the cycle).
Campaign manager on Ron Walters for Congress in Charleston, WV, Sept.
2013-Jan. 2014. Campaign manager on Judy Biggert for Congress in
Illinois, Feb.-Dec. 2012. B.A. in government from William &
Mary, 2006. twitter
Local Campaign Organizers
(announced August
12, 2015)
Low Country Region
- Joanne Jones, Charleston GOP 2nd Vice Chair, Mt. Pleasant
- Joe Semsar, Mt. Pleasant
- Rob Crawford, Mt. Pleasant
- Art Field, Charleston
- Al and Charlene Fuchs, Charleston
- Paulette Kellogg, Mt. Pleasant
- Jean Sulc, St. Helena Island
- Roger and Arlene O’Sullivan, Mt. Pleasant
Midlands Region
- Rebecca Shadwell, West Columbia
- Allen Olson, Columbia Tea Party Founder, Lexington
- Jan Hammond, Lexington 5 School Board Trustee, Columbia
- Don Carlson, Chapin
- Mary Cobb, Columbia
- JD Elliott, Columbia
- Julian “Mitch” Mitchell, Former State Agriculture Board Commissioner, West Columbia
- Michael Weaver, Lexington
Pee Dee Region
- Susan Rovner, Pawleys Island
- Sterling Alexander, North Myrtle Beach
- Chuck Collins, North Myrtle Beach
- Bren Gibson, North Myrtle Beach
- Lois Moody, Garden City
- Linda Parker, Summerton
- Brian Shult, Georgetown County Auditor, Pawleys Island
- Brian Thompson, Former Marlboro GOP Vice Chair,
Bennettsville
Piedmont Region
- State Representative Ralph Norman, Rock Hill
- Rod Benfield, Former York County Clerk of Court, Rock Hill
- Solicitor Kevin Brackett, 16th Judicial Circuit, Fort Mill
- Mike Bloomhuff, Indian Land
- Sharon Bynum, SC State Board of Education Member, Fort Mill
- Barbara Haba, Lake Wylie
- Drew Johnson, Chester GOP Executive Committeeman, Chester
- Donnie Jones, Former Lancaster GOP Executive Committeeman,
Indian
Land
Upstate Region
- State Representative Garry Smith, Simpsonville
- State Representative Josh Putnam, Easley
- Lance Byars, Greer
- Bill McShea, Greenville
- County Councilman Lynn Ballard, Pelzer
- Carroll Bledsoe, Spartanburg
- County Councilman Justin Bradley, Boiling Springs
- Abby Clark, Greer
- Steve and Carol Corson, Roebuck
- Brenda Earls, Former Cherokee GOP Chair, Gaffney
- County Councilman Roger and Tracy Nutt, Moore
- Robin Reed, Former Cherokee GOP Executive Committeewoman, Chesnee
- Forest Thomas, Easley
State Chairman
Former Gov. Bob List
(announced
Aug. 11, 2015) Senior partner at Kolesar &
Leatham. Governor of Nevada from 1979-83. Attorney
General of Nevada, 1971-79. District Attorney of Carson City,
1966-70. RNC
committeeman for Nevada and chairman of the RNC Budget Committee during
the 2011-12 cycle. J.D. and
LL.D. degrees from University of California Hastings College of the
Law, 1962; B.S. degree from Utah State University.
State Chairman
U.S. Rep. Doug Collins
(announced Aug. 7, 2015)
Elected to Congress Nov. 2012 representing the 9th CD (northeastern
corner of the state). Elected to the Georgia House in 2006 and
served three terms. Managing partner at Collins and Csider law
firm since 2010. With his wife he ran a scrapbook store.
J.D. from John Marshall Law School, 2007. Master of Divinity from
Baptist Theological Seminary, 1996; B.A. in political science and
criminal law from North Georgia College & State University,
1988. Served two years in the U.S. Navy as a chaplain, and is a
chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command. >
Co-Chairs
(announced Aug. 14, 2015)
State Sen. Judson Hill (District
32, Marietta)
State Rep. Matt Ramsey, Georgia House Majority Caucus Whip (District 72, Peachtree City)
State Rep. Christian Coomer
(District 14, Cartersville)
Julianne Thompson, former co-chair
of the Atlanta Tea Party
Rachel Little, former Gwinnett
County Republican Party chair
Endorsement
State Sen. Rick Jones (District 24, Grand Ledge)
(reported by the Lansing News on May 4, 2015)
State Chairman
State House Speaker Kurt Daudt
(announced
Aug. 7, 2015)
Elected to the Minnesota House in 2010; represents District 31A which
includes precincts in Isanti, Anoka and Sherburne counties.
Served six years as an Isanti County Commissioner and was a Stanford
Town Board Supervisor from 1999-2005. He has lived on his
grandparents' farm in Crown and worked as a business manager. A
founding member of Project 24, a nonprofit that builds orphanages in
Kenya. Studied aviation management at University of North Dakota.
>
Co-Chairs
(announced Aug. 17, 2015)
State Sen. Dave Thompson
(District 58, Southern Twin Cities metro area)
Kurt Zellers, former Minnesota
House Speaker
Marty Seifert, former Minnesota
House Minority Leader
Chris Tiedeman, Minnesota GOP
National Committeeman
State Chairman
State Sen. Mark Obenshain
(announced Aug. 7,
2015) Elected
to the Viginia Senate in 2003,
representing District 26, Harrisonburg. Republican nominee for
Attorney General in 2013, narrowly losing to Mark Herring.
Founder of the Obenshain Law Group; has practiced law in Harrisonburg
and Central Virginia for more than two decades. J.D. from
Washington and Lee University School of Law, 1987; B.A. from Virginia
Tech, 1984. Son of Richard D. Obenshain, a key figure in the
Republican Party of Virginia. >
Finance Chairman Former Attorney General
Jerry
Kilgore
(announced Aug.
31, 2015)
Partner at McGuireWoods. Republican nominee in the 2005 Virginia
governor's race. Virginia Attorney General from 2002-05.
Virginia Secretary of Public Safety, 1994-98. An
Assistant United
States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia,
1987-88.
Co-Chairs
(announced Sept.
9, 2015)
Del. Terry Kilgore (District 1,
Gate City)
Del. David Ramadan
(District 87, E.Loudon/W. Prince William Cos.)
Del. Margaret Ransone (District
99, Kinsale)
Consultant Chris Leavitt
(announced Aug.
25, 2015)
Campaign manager for Ed
Gillespie's 2014 U.S. Senate run. Campaign manager on State Sen.
Mark
Obenshain's 2013 campaign for Virginia Attorney General. Campaign
manager on Bob Goodlatte for Congress, Jan.-Nov. 2012. Campaign
manager on Bryce Reeves for Senate, March-Nov. 2011. Political
director on Mike Bouchard for Governor, Jan.-Aug. 2010.
Bachelor's degree in political science and government from University
of Maine, 2008. twitter