Kirsten Kukowski
| Kirsten Kukowski | |||
 | |||
| Basic facts | |||
| Location: | Washington, D.C. | ||
| Expertise: | Communications | ||
| Affiliation: | Republican | ||
| Education: | •University of Wisconsin (B.A. journalism and political science, 2006) | ||
| Website: | Official website | ||
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Kirsten Kukowski is a Republican communications strategist. Kukowski was Rep. Mark Green's (R-Wis.) press secretary as well as press secretary for Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). She has worked for the Republican Party of Wisconsin as the communications director and as regional press secretary and national press secretary for the Republican National Committee (RNC). She was the communications director of Scott Walker's 2016 presidential campaign.
Career
Early career
Kukowski graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in political science and journalism. After graduating, she moved into politics, joining Rep. Mark Green as press secretary.[1][2] From Green's office she moved over to the Wisconsin Republican Party (WRP) as communications director in 2007, where she remained until 2009. During the 2008 election cycle, she divided her time between the WRP and the Republican National Committee's (RNC) Wisconsin victory committee as the Wisconsin communications director for John McCain's presidential campaign.[2]
Republican National Committee
In 2009, Kukowski transitioned over to the RNC full-time as the regional press secretary for the Midwest and Great Lakes regions.[2][1] In 2010, she was Mark Kirk's campaign secretary for his successful Senate campaign.[2] In 2011, after Kirk's election, Kukowski returned to the RNC and was promoted to press secretary. Kukowski remained with the RNC until February 2015.
Scott Walker presidential campaign, 2016
- See also: Scott Walker presidential campaign, 2016
Scott Walker announced his official candidacy for the 2016 presidential campaign on July 13, 2015.[3] In February 2015, Kukowski was appointed communications director of Walker's PAC.[4] Then, in mid-July 2015, Kukowski was appointed communications director for Walker's 2016 presidential campaign.[5] On September 17, Walker announced that he was suspending his campaign, effectively ending his bid for the White House.[6]
Noteworthy events
On April 8, 2014, Kukowski appeared on MSNBC's Jansing & Co. to discuss the issue of equal pay for women.[7] The following day, Michael Tomasky of The Daily Beast criticized Kukowski's response to questions about the Republican Party's role in the pay gap and the solutions the GOP might have to resolve the issue. Tomasky wrote, "It’s not Kirsten Kukowski’s fault she only had gibberish to spout about workplace gender fairness," and adding that "It’s the fault of her party, all those men in her party, all those Southern men and their Southern beliefs and ways."[8] This spawned a series of tweets from Kukowski accusing Tomasky of displaying sexism. Tomasky, according to TPM, responded by saying, "I think they (Republicans) ought to spend more time worrying about why their party has opposed just about every equal pay bill in recent history," and that they "shouldn't be so concerned with his work."[7]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 LinkedIn, "Kirsten Kukowski," accessed July 9, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 GOP, "Kirsten Kukowski," accessed July 9, 2015
- ↑ Washington Post, "One of the last in, Scott Walker enters 2016 presidential race near the top of the GOP field," July 13, 2015
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "Scott Walker Adds Staff Amid Surge in N.H. Poll," February 5, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "The power players behind Scott Walker's campaign," July 14, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Walker quits after blowing through campaign cash," September 21, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 TPM, "RNC Spokeswoman Accuses Daily Beast Columnist Of Sexism," April 9, 2014
- ↑ The Daily Beast, "What That RNC Aide’s Equal Pay Blunder on MSNBC Says About Her Party," April 9, 2014
