Campaign Managers      Nov. 3, 2020 Governor Races

The Campaign Managers

Democrats
Republicans Third Party/
Independent
DE

John Carney: no official campaign manager Campaign Coordinator Christopher "C.J." Bell

Julianne Murray:





IN
Woody Myers:  Zakiya Thomas
(from Jan. 2020)  CEO of Thomas Consulting Group since Sept. 2014.  Deputy national political director on Kamala Harris for the People, Oct.-Nov. 2019.  Executive director of National Woman's Party (Sewall-Belmont House and Museum), Aug. 2018-Feb. 2019.  Campaign manager on Justin Fairfax for Lt. Governor (VA), Apr. 2016-Nov. 2017.  Campaign manager on Stacey Kincaid for Sheriff and on Bettine Lawton for Clerk of Court (Fairfax, VA), Feb.-Nov. 2015.  Independent contractor, June 2013-July 2014.  Campaign manager on Jusin Fairfax for Virginia, Dec. 2012-June 2013.  M.S. in social work from Columbia University in the City of New York; B.S. in biological psychology from College of William and Mary.

Eric Holcomb:  Kyle Hupfer
(May 2019)  Also chairman of the Indiana Republican Party since Feb. 2017.  Chief administrative officer and general counsel at IMMI, Aug. 2015-Apr. 2019.  Member of Frost Brown Todd, Dec. 2012-Aug. 2015.  VP and general counsel at ETC ProLiance Energy, Aug. 2006-Dec. 2012.  Director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Jan. 2005-Aug. 2006.  Partner at Ice Miller LLP, May 1999-Jan. 2005.  J.D. from Indiana University School of Law, 1998; B.S. in business administration from Manchester University, 1995.
Donald Rainwater: Sam Goldstein
(from Aug. 2020) A former LPIN chair, " active in the Libertarian Party for over 20 years and has managed campaigns for Libertarian Party candidates at local, state and Federal levels."





MO


Nicole Galloway:  Chris Sloan
(Oct. 2019)  Campaign manager on Steve Sisolak for Governor, July 2018-Oct. 2019.  Director of government affairs (Oct. 2009-July 2018) at IUPAT Finishing Trades Institute and international legislative representative at IUPAT (Jan. 2008-Oct. 2009).  Master's degree from GSPM at The George Washington University, 2014; bachelor's degree in political science and government from Earlham College, 2007.

Mike Parson:  Steele Shippy
(Aug. 2019)  Communications director to Gov. Parson, June 2018-Aug. 2019.  Deputy chief of staff to MOSOS Jay Ashcroft, Nov. 2016-June 2018.  Campaign manager (Victory Enterprises) on Ashcroft for Missouri Secretary of State, Mar.-Nov. 2016.  Executive assistant to candidate on Mike Huckabee for President, Inc., Jan. 2015-Feb. 2016.  Director of operations at Victory Enterprises, July 2012-Dec. 2014.  B.S. in political science and government from University of Missouri-Columbia, 2011.






MT

R+
Mike Cooney:  Brad Elkins
Campaign manager on Martin Heinrich for U.S. Senate, 2018.  Campaign manager on Alejandra Campoverdi for Congress in the CA-34 special election, 2017.  Deputy campaign manager for Jason Kander for Senate, 2016. Nevada state director and Midwest regional political director on Martin O'Malley's presidential campaign and earlier political advisor to O'Malley's O'PAC, 2015. Political director for Jack Hatch's 2014 campaign for governor in Iowa.  National political director for the Truman Project.  Co-founder of Democracy, Diplomacy, Development, and Defense (4D) PAC.   B.A. in computer science/mathematics and international affairs from Lewis & Clark College.  From Pasadena, CA.

Greg Gianforte:  Jake Eaton
President/CEO of Ultra Graphics Billings from Dec. 2012; chairman of WDRP Management in Billings from Jan. 2016; and president of The Political Company in Billings from Jan. 2016.  Partner at 47 North Communications, 2010-15.  Chief of staff on Montanans for Rehberg (U.S. Senate campaign), 2011-12.  Executive director of the Montana Republican Party, 2007-08.  Grassroots director on Rehberg for Congress, 2006-07.  Field rep. for U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, 2005-06.  Specialist in Company C, 1st Battalion 163rd Infantry Regiment in Iraq, July 2004-Nov. 2005.  Studied political science at University of Montana, 2001-04; and studied at Miles Community College, 1991-2001.






NH


Dan Feltes:  Nick Taylor
(Sept. 2019)  Majority policy director in the NH State Senate, Dec. 2018-Sept. 2019.  House and Senate caucus director for the NH Senate Democratic Caucus and Committee to Elect House Democrats, Dec. 2016-Nov. 2018.  Field director on the Committee to Elect House Democrats, Mar.-Nov. 2016.  Deputy political director (Nov. 2015-Mar. 2016) and operations director (Aug.-Nov. 2015) for the NH Democratic Party.  NH political fellow on Hillary for America, June-Aug. 2015.  Undergraduate degree in public policy from Hamilton College, 2015.

John Sununu:  Paul Collins
Also served as campaign manager on Sununu's 2016 and 2018 campaigns. Senior advisor on Gov. John Kasich's NH primary campaign from May 2015.  Campaign manager on Dan Innis' 2014 Republican primary campaign in the 1st CD.  Campaign manager on Ovide Lamontagne's 2012 campaign for governor. Consultant on Jon Huntsman's 2011-12 NH primary campaign.  In the 2010 cycle he served as senior political strategist on businessman Bill Binnie's U.S. Senate campaign for about four months, then managed Sean Mahoney's unsuccessful bid for the 1st CD seat in the Sept. 2010 primary.  Executive director of the NH Republican Party, 1999.  Managed John E. Sununu's congressional and Senate campaigns, 1996 through Jan. 2009.  Managed Pete Wilson's brief NH primary effort (summer 1995), then when he withdrew served as state director on Steve Forbes NH campaign (from Oct. 1995). District director to Rep. Charlie Bass to July 1995.  During the Administration of President George H. W. Bush, when John H. Sununu was chief of staff, he served as Deputy Director of the Office of National Service (1,000 points of light) and then Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs.  Worked for John H. Sununu starting in 1982, serving key roles on his three campaigns for governor and as a gubernatorial aide.  NH political director on Pete du Pont's NH primary campaign. 






NC
Roy Cooper:  Trey Nix
Principal at Lamar Street Communications.   Campaign director for the Democratic Governors Association in the 2018 cycle. Campaign manager on Roy Cooper's 2016 win over Gov. Pat McCrory.  Campaign manager on U.S. Sen. Mark Warner's (VA) 2014 re-election campaign.  Campaign manager on Aneesh Chopra's 2013 campaign for lieutenant governor of Virginia.  Campaign manager on Paul Hirschbiel's challenge to U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell in VA-2 in 2012.  Originally from Alabama.

Dan Forest:  Hal Weatherman
Former chief of staff to Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and campaign manager of his 2012 and 2016 campaigns.  Long-time chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick; ran eight of Myrick's re-election campaigns. Master's degree in communications from Wheaton College, 1993; B.A. in religion from Wake Forest University, 1991.






ND
Shelley Lenz:  Melissa Vincett
President of Roughrider Strategies, LLC, a North Dakota consulting firm, since Jan. 2020.  Director of mobilizing for the Green Party of Canada, Nov. 2018-July 2020.  Political and training director for the North Dakota Democratic NPL, July-Nov. 2018.  Organizer for UAW 5810 at the University of California, June-July 2018.  Consultant at Weinman Consulting in Tacoma, WA, June 2012-Mar. 2016.  M.B.A. in global marketing management from City University of Seattle, 2014; B.A. in psychology from University of Manitoba, 2011.

Doug Burgum:  Dawson Schefter
(Oct. 2019)  President of Signature Solutions, LLC in Fargo from Sept. 2014.  Chief of staff at the North Dakota Republican Party, Mar. 2018-Oct. 2019.  Indeependent consultant to the NDSU Extension Service, Apr. 2016-Jan. 2018.  Chairman of ND Young Republicans, May-Dec. 2017. General laborer at Schefter Farms, Sept. 2012-May 2017.






UT
Chris Peterson:

Spencer Cox:  Austin Cox
Worked in the Herbert administration.  Campaign manager for Our Schools Now, a Nov. 2018 ballot proposal to raise gas taxes to help fund Utah public schools, 2017-18.  Worked on Gov. Herbert's 2016 re-election campaign.  Managed a successful campaign for Salt Lake City Council at age 19.  Bachelor's degree in political science and campaign management from University of Utah, 2014.






VT
David Zuckerman:  Megan Polyte
Executive director of Volunteers for Peace and has been actively involved with the group since 1989, including serving as U.S. program coordinator (1999-2000), co-director (1990-93) and outgoing placement coordinator (1989-1993).  Also lived for five years in the former Soviet Union.  M.S. in education (2010) and B.S. in management and leadership (1995) from St. Michael’s College.

Phil Scott:  Jason Maulucci
(Sept. 2020)  Gubernatorial appointments and commissions manager in the Office of Gov. Phil Scott, Dec. 2018-Aug. 2020.  Deputy campaign manager on Phil Scott for Vermont, May-Nov. 2018.  Office of Gov. Phil Scott, Jan. 2017-May 2018.  Field operations on Phil Scott for Governor, May-Nov. 2016.  Bachelor's degree in political science, economics from University of Vermont, 2017; president of the UVM Student Government Association, Apr. 2015-Apr. 2017.






WA
Jay Inslee:  Molly Keenan
(Oct. 2019)  Director of operations on Jay Inslee for America, Mar.-Oct. 2019.  District director for U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, Jan. 2017-Mar. 2019.  Deputy campaign manager (Jan.-Dec. 2016) and political director (June-Dec. 2015) on Jay Inslee for Washington.  Director of Boards & Commissions in the Office of Gov. Jay Inslee, Feb. 2013-May 2015.  Deputy fundraising director on Jay Inslee for Washington, Mar.-Dec. 2012.  Deputy state finance director on Montanans for Tester, Jan. 2011-Mar. 2012.  Fundraising associate on People for Patty Murray, June-Nov. 2010.  Marketing director for SmartPlug Systems, June 2008-Nov. 2009.  Staff assistant in the U.S. Senate, Feb.-Dec. 2007.  B.B.A. and B.S. in finance and political science from University of Portland, 2006.

Loren Culp:  Christopher Gergen
Founder (2015) and principal at Dark Horse Political.  Oregon political director for the Trump campaign in 2016.  Republican nominee for Oregon House in District 12 in 2014.  A managing advisor in the financial services sector.  Served in the U.S. Navy from 2001-06.






WV
Ben Salango:  Grant Herring
(Dec. 2019)  Campaign manager on Rocky Adkins for Governor (KY), Jan.-May 2019.  Communications director on Manchin for West Virginia, Sept. 2017-Nov. 2018.  Press secretary to Gov. Jim Justice, Jan.-Aug. 2017.  Communications director on Jim Justice for Governor, Aug. 2015-Nov. 2016.  Deputy communications director on Mark Pryor for U.S. Senate (AR), Jan.-Nov. 2014.  Communications director on Ralph Northam for Lt. Governor, June-Nov. 2013.  Communications director and spokesman on John Tierney for Congress, May-Nov. 2012.  Communications director to Virginia Sen. Dick Saslaw, Jan.-Dec. 2011.  Communications director (Jan. 2008-Dec. 2010) and deputy finance director (2008-09) on Connolly for Congress (VA).  B.A. in government and international politic from George Mason University, 2010.

Jim Justice:  Roman Stauffer
(Sept. 2019)  President of Capitol Strategies, LLC, an advisory firm in Charleston.  Executive director of West Virginia Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, Jan.-Dec. 2013.  Executive director of The New Majority Fund, Del. Troy Andes' leadership PAC, Jan. 2012-Jan. 2014.  Deputy political director and campaign scheduler on Bill Maloney for West Virginia, July-Nov. 2011.  Communications director for the West Virginia Chamber, Apr. 2010-June 2011.  Chief of staff to Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth, Jan.-Oct. 2009.  Campaign manager on Beth Walker for Supreme Court, Nov. 2007-Nov. 2008.  Lead advance representative on Fred Thompson for President, Aug. 2007-Jan. 2008.  Field representative for the Virginia Senate Republican Leadership Trust, Apr.-Aug. 2007.  Legislative aide for Senate Minority Leader Dn Caruth, Jan.-Mar. 2007.  B.S. in business administration from Concord University, 2004.

and

Stauffer succeeded Mike Lukach, whom Justice had announced as his campaign manager on Apr. 15, 2019.













  Gender of Campaign Managers for 2020 Major Party Nominees for Governor
11 races
Identified
No info., no
manager, unclear
Male   
Female
Democrats
9 of 11
2
5
4
Republicans
10 of 11
1
10
0
Total
19 of 22
3
15
4
Notes: 
 - 22 candidates: Democrats 11, Republicans 11. 

- No info., no manager, unclear is 3.
Democrats:
DE - no official campaign manager.  No info: UT.
Republicans:
No info: DE.

- 19 campaign managers identified: Democrats 9, Republicans 10.

Summary
Of 19 people identified as working as campaign managers for the 2020 major party nominees for governor at the close of the campaign, 15 (78.9%) were male and four (21.1%) female.  Democratic campaign managers were 55.6% male and Republican campaign managers 100% male.


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