Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Sally Bradshaw
| Sally Bradshaw | |||
 | |||
| Basic facts | |||
| Location: | Tallahassee, Florida | ||
| Affiliation: | Independent | ||
| Education: | George Washington University (1987, B.A., political science) | ||
| |||
Sally Bradshaw is a Republican political operative, originally hailing from Mississippi and residing in Florida. Bradshaw was a senior advisor to Jeb Bush and his 2016 presidential campaign.[1]
Bush called Bradshaw his "closest advisor for the entirety of my political career."[1] A lifelong Republican, Bradshaw announced that she left the party in 2016, citing her disapproval of presidential candidate Donald Trump (R).[2]
Career
Early career
After initially attending Vanderbilt University for two years, Bradshaw graduated from George Washington University in 1987 with a B.A. in political science.[3] She launched her political career by working for Mississippi Congressman Webb Franklin (R) and then interning for Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (R), who, at the time, was serving as director of political affairs for President Ronald Reagan (R). From there, she joined George H.W. Bush's (R) 1988 presidential campaign as a staff assistant and a regional field coordinator. It was during her time on his father's campaign that she first met Jeb.[1][3]
After H.W. Bush won the presidency, Bradshaw worked on his transition team and then served as associate director of political affairs at the White House from 1989 through 1991.[3] She subsequently left Washington and moved to Florida, where she worked as staff director for the House Republican Office in Tallahassee. In 1992, she once again found herself working for H.W. Bush, serving as the executive director of Bush's Florida efforts during his unsuccessful re-election campaign.[3][4]
Jeb Bush gubernatorial advisor
After the campaign, Bradshaw worked as the political director of the Republican Party of Florida. In 1994, she managed Jeb Bush's first—and ultimately unsuccessful—bid for Governor of Florida, billing himself as a "head-banging conservative." The duo tried again in 1998, with Bradshaw once again serving as campaign manager. This time, Bush won by a margin of 55 to 45 percent. Bradshaw helped with the transition and then became his chief of staff from 1999 through the end of 2000.[4][5][6]
In between elections, she served as the executive director of the Foundation for Florida's Future, a "nonprofit grassroots public policy institute." When Bush ran for re-election in 2002, Bradshaw was once again by his side, serving as the senior campaign advisor.[3][4]
Consulting
The 2000s saw Bradshaw transitioning in and out of campaign and consulting work. She took a break from campaigns and worked as a consultant for two organizations, Design Farm and Core Message, from 2002 through 2004. In October 2006, Mitt Romney's (R) campaign announced Bradshaw would be serving as Romney's senior advisor during his 2008 presidential bid. Then, during the 2010 general election, she served as senior advisor to Florida's Republican Party.[3][4]
She moved on in 2011 to serve as a general consultant for Haley PAC, Gov. Barbour's political action committee, and then became a board member on the Florida State Board of Education. She resigned from this position two months before her term was scheduled to end, citing family obligations.[3][4][7]
RNC Growth and Opportunity Project
In 2013, she was one of five members selected to serve on the Republican National Committee's (RNC) Growth and Opportunity Project, which sought to "recommend a plan to further ensure Republicans are victorious in 2013, 2014, 2016 and beyond." More recently, she worked as a transition director and senior advisor for former Florida Speaker of the House Will Weatherford (R).[3][4][8]
Party switch
On August 1, 2016, CNN reported that Bradshaw had left the Republican Party to become independent. She cited her disapproval of the party's presidential candidate Donald Trump as her reason for the split. In an email exchange with the network, Bradshaw said that the party was "at a crossroads and [had] nominated a total narcissist -- a misogynist -- a bigot." She went on to explain, "This is a time when country has to take priority over political parties. Donald Trump cannot be elected president." Bradshaw indicated that, although she did not support Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, she would vote for Clinton if the race were close in Florida.[9]
Jeb Bush presidential campaign, 2016
- See also: Jeb Bush presidential campaign, 2016
After exploring the possibility of a presidential run for several months, Bush officially announced his candidacy on June 15, 2015, at Miami Dade College. He largely focused on economic issues and said he would "take Washington – the static capital of this dynamic country – out of the business of causing problems." Bush, who served as governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007, is the son of former President George H.W. Bush and the brother of former President George W. Bush. He is the first brother of a president to run for the office since the Kennedy family, Robert in 1968 and Ted in 1980.[10]
According to Politico, "Bradshaw [was] Jeb Bush’s chief 'executor,' as one person close to Bush described her; while not his 'brain,' she’s the closest parallel to a Karl Rove that the former Florida governor [had]. The low-key Mississippi native with a Southern twang has a reputation as a straight shooter, which is part of the reason Bush has confided in her over the years. Bradshaw, who served as an aide in the George H.W. Bush White House and follows the adage that staffers should get as little attention as possible, hasn’t opined publicly on whether she thinks Jeb Bush should run."[11]
Bush ended his run for the White House after faring poorly in the Iowa Caucuses as well as primary elections in New Hampshire and South Carolina.[12] At a gathering of supporters in the Palmetto State on February 20, 2016, he said:
| “ | The people of Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina have spoken, and I really respect their decision, so tonight I am suspending my campaign.[12][13] | ” |
After Bush's loss in the Republican primary, Bradshaw opened an independent bookstore, Midtown Reader, in Tallahassee, Florida.[14]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 New York Times, "A Close Bush Advisor Is All Charm and Grit," February 4, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "First on CNN: Top Jeb Bush adviser leaves GOP, will vote for Clinton if Florida close," August 1, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 LinkedIn.com, "Sally Bradshaw," accessed June 15, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 P2016.org, "Jeb 2016, Inc." accessed June 15, 2015
- ↑ Yahoo, "As Jeb Bush eyes 2016 recalling lessons from governor races," January 12, 2015
- ↑ Florida Secretary of State, "Florida Department of State Division of Elections November 3, 1998 General Election," accessed June 16, 2015
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Sally Bradshaw resigns from state education board," October 13, 2014
- ↑ Growth and Opportunity Project, "RNC Launches New Initiative to Grow the Party and Win - Co-Chairs Announced to Lead Effort," January 14, 2013
- ↑ CNN, "First on CNN: Top Jeb Bush adviser leaves GOP, will vote for Clinton if Florida close," August 1, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "In Announcing Run, Jeb Bush Plays Down His Surname," June 15, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Jeb Bush's inner circle: Sally Bradshaw, Mike Murphy," May 13, 2014
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 NBC News, "Jeb Bush Suspends 2016 Presidential Campaign," February 20, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ CNN, "Senior Jeb Bush adviser's 'new chapter': Independent bookstore," May 2, 2016
