Presidential election communications staffers, 2016

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The communications advisors of a political campaign are often the most visible behind-the-scenes staffers. They are typically the liaison between the public and the candidate. According to Wellstone Action, a progressive political training group, "The communications director is in charge of all of the campaign’s interactions with the media. They build relationships with the press, communicate with the media as the key spokesperson, set up interviews and identify media opportunities for the campaign. They may help write and develop campaign literature, draft speeches for the candidate and create copy for the campaign web site."[1] On another level—as Judith Trent, Robert Friedenberg and Robert Denton note—communications are at the "core" of campaigning itself: "It is communication that occupies the area between the goals or aspirations of the candidate and the behavior of the electorate, just as it serves as the bridge between the dreams or hopes of the voter and the actions of the candidate."[2]

The following is a list of all the communications directors that Ballotpedia has profiled for the 2016 presidential election. A fuller individual profile—including the staffer's background, previous experience and current campaign work—can be found by clicking on the link in each staffer's name. Clicking the link in the campaign logo on the right will take you to Ballotpedia's comprehensive profile of that candidate's 2016 campaign.

Republican Campaigns
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 Tim Miller: Tim Miller joined Jeb Bush's presidential campaign in February 2015 as the communications director.[3] Previously, Miller worked as the Iowa communications director for Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) 2008 presidential campaign and with Mitt Romney's (R) 2012 presidential campaign. He was also the deputy communications director for the Republican National Committee and the press secretary for Jon Huntsman's (R) campaign during the 2012 election cycle.[4]
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 Samantha Smith: In February 2015, Samantha Smith joined Chris Christie's PAC, Leadership Matters for America, as the communications director.[5] Smith joined the official campaign as communications director on July 3, 2015.[6] Smith has worked on communications for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz), Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and at Google in Washington, D.C.[7]
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 Brittany Bramell: Brittany Bramell joined Lindsey Graham's presidential campaign exploratory committee on March 16, 2015.[8] Bramell previously worked as the director of press operations for Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and was the press secretary for Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner from 2011 to 2013.[9]
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 Hogan Gidley: On May 7, 2015, Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign announced that Hogan Gidley would join the team as the senior communications advisor.[10] Gidley's firm, BrabenderCox, handles the communications for Rick Santorum's campaign, but Gidley, who worked with Santorum in 2012, joined Alice Stewart on the Huckabee communications team.[11] In December 2015, Stewart left the Huckabee campaign, and Gidley took over as the campaign's spokesperson.[12]
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 Kyle Plotkin: Kyle Plotkin was officially announced as Bobby Jindal's communications director on June 24, 2015.[13] Plotkin had worked for Jindal in the Louisiana Governor's office for eight years, as press secretary, communications director and chief of staff.[14] In 2006, Plotkin worked on Mitt Romney's presidential campaign as a analyst for Romney's PAC, Romney for President.[15]
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 Lucy Nashed: Lucy Nashed was announced as communications director for Rick Perry's 2016 presidential campaign on June 4, 2015.[16] The campaign, however, was suspended on September 11, 2015. She worked with Perry when he was Governor of Texas, beginning as a press office intern in 2008 and eventually moving to press secretary in 2014.[17]
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 Alex Conant: Alex Conant joined Marco Rubio's presidential campaign as the communications director in April 2015.[18] His expertise lies in press relations and communications, having served as press secretary in various capacities. He previously served as Rubio's press secretary in the Senate before switching over to his presidential campaign. Conant's past campaign work includes Tim Pawlenty's (R) failed 2012 presidential bid and Joni Ernst's (R) successful 2014 Iowa senatorial campaign.[19]
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 Matt Beynon: Matt Beynon served as a spokesperson for Rick Santorum prior to Santorum's official campaign; when Santorum announced his candidacy on May 27, 2015, Beynon transitioned to the role of communications director for the campaign itself.[20] Beynon, who has been with Santorum since 2004, is the managing partner of Madison Strategic Ventures in Washington, D.C.[21]
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 Kirsten Kukowski: In mid-July 2015, Kirsten Kukowski was appointed communications director for Walker's 2016 presidential campaign.[22] Previously, Kukowski worked as the press secretary for Rep. Mark Green (R-Wis.) and as communications director for the Wisconsin Republican Party. She also directed communications in Wisconsin for Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) 2008 presidential campaign.[23]
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Democratic Campaigns
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 Debbie Rich: As of July 2015, the Lincoln Chafee's presidential campaign had not officially announced any staff hirings. However, Debbie Rich has acted as a spokesperson for Chafee throughout the exploratory phase and into the campaign.[24] Rich has been with Chafee since Chafee was mayor of Warwick, R.I., in the 1990s.[25]
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 Jennifer Palmieri: Jennifer Palmieri joined Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign as communications director in February 2015.[26] Previously, Palmieri worked as senior vice president of the Center for American Progress and in President Barack Obama's administration as the deputy director of communications.[27]
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 Michael Briggs: Michael Briggs joined Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign in May 2015 after eight years as the communications director in Sanders' U.S. Senate office.[28] From 1999 to 2005, Briggs was press secretary for Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.); from 2005 to 2007, he served as communications director for Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.).[29]
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 Craig Crawford: Craig Crawford joined Jim Webb's presidential campaign as the communications director during the exploratory phase.[30] Crawford previously worked with the Orlando Sentinel as a reporter and as the Washington Bureau chief. He is the author of three books—Attack the Messenger (2005), The Politics of Life (2007) and Listen Up, Mr. President (2009).[31] Crawford also published The Hotline for the National Journal and was a frequent contributor to MSNBC.[32] Since 2005, Crawford has published Trail Mix, a political blog that serves as a news commenting forum.[31]
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The following individuals served as communications directors but resigned their positions while their campaigns were still in progress:

References

  1. ↑ Wellstone Action, "Campaign Roles and Responsibilities," accessed July 17, 2015
  2. ↑ Trent, J.S., Friedenberg, R.V. & Denton, R.E. (2011) Political campaign communication: Principles and practices. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. (page 16)
  3. ↑ Politico, "Big hire for Jeb: Tim Miller as comms director," February 20, 2015
  4. ↑ LinkedIn, "Tim Miller," accessed June 24, 2015
  5. ↑ North Jersey, "Christie adds Google executive to political team," February 25, 2015
  6. ↑ Washington Post, "Exclusive: Chris Christie hires presidential campaign manager and appoints senior staff," July 3, 2015
  7. ↑ LinkedIn, "Samantha Smith," accessed June 30, 2015
  8. ↑ Washington Post, "Read In: Budget Day Edition," March 17, 2015
  9. ↑ LinkedIn, "Brittany Bramell," accessed June 10, 2015
  10. ↑ P2016, "News Release: Gov. Huckabee announces national campaign team," May 7, 2015
  11. ↑ MSNBC, "Santorum launches second presidential run with a populist pitch," May 27, 2015
  12. ↑ Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "Huckabee spokesman Stewart leaves team," December 16, 2015
  13. ↑ The Times-Picayune, "Bobby Jindal's presidential campaign team made up of familiar faces," June 24, 2015
  14. ↑ The Times-Picayune, "Bobby Jindal's presidential campaign team made up of familiar faces," June 24, 2015
  15. ↑ Office of the Governor, "Governor Jindal Announces New Chief of Staff, Communications Director, Deputy Communications Director," February 18, 2014
  16. ↑ P2016, "Perry for President, Inc.," accessed June 16, 2015
  17. ↑ LinkedIn, "Lucy Nashed," accessed June 16, 2015
  18. ↑ MinnPost, "Marco Rubio spokesman Alex Conant is a Minnesota native," April 13, 2015
  19. ↑ Politico, "The power players behind Marco Rubio's campaign," April 13, 2015
  20. ↑ P2016, "Santorum for President," accessed June 4, 2015
  21. ↑ Madison Strategic Ventures, "About Madison," accessed June 4, 2015
  22. ↑ Politico, "The power players behind Scott Walker's campaign," July 14, 2015
  23. ↑ GOP, "Kirsten Kukowski," accessed July 9, 2015
  24. ↑ CNN, "Lincoln Chafee: 'I'm running' and here's why," April 16, 2015
  25. ↑ Politico, "Lincoln Chafee jeers at Hillary, cheers for the metric system," June 3, 2015
  26. ↑ Washington Post, "Top White House aide Palmieri to leave for Clinton 2016 team," February 4, 2015
  27. ↑ Politico, "Jennifer Palmieri to join White House staff," December 5, 2011
  28. ↑ Politico, "The power players behind Bernie Sanders' campaign," May 26, 2015
  29. ↑ P2016, "Bernie Sanders," accessed June 16, 2015
  30. ↑ Politico, "Jim Webb hires journalist Crawford as communications director," January 2, 2015
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Trail Mix, "Our Publisher," accessed July 6, 2015
  32. ↑ Inside Cable News, "Craig Crawford leaves MSNBC...," accessed July 6, 2015
v • e
2016 Presidential Candidate Key Staffers and Advisors
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General election campaigns
Suspended campaigns
Democratic Party Lincoln Chafee presidential campaign key staff • Martin O'Malley presidential campaign key staff
• Bernie Sanders presidential campaign key staff • Jim Webb presidential campaign key staff
Republican Party Jeb Bush presidential campaign key staff •Ben Carson presidential campaign key staff
•Chris Christie presidential campaign key staff • Ted Cruz presidential campaign key staff
• Carly Fiorina presidential campaign key staff • Lindsey Graham presidential campaign key staff
• Mike Huckabee presidential campaign key staff • Bobby Jindal presidential key staff
•John Kasich presidential campaign key staff • George Pataki presidential campaign key staff
• Rand Paul presidential campaign key staff • Rick Perry presidential campaign key staff
• Marco Rubio presidential campaign key staff • Rick Santorum presidential campaign key staff
• Scott Walker presidential campaign key staff
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