Ted
Cruz
Organization—Pre-Campaign
more recent
edition >
(page
updated March 22, 2015)
Jobs,
Growth
and
Freedom
Fund
FEC
leadership PAC filed on Nov. 14,
2012.
Ted
Cruz Victory Committee FEC joint fundraising committee
filed on March 1, 2013.
Ted
Cruz for Senate FEC campaign committee.
Political Organization [consultant] Jeff
Roe
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Washington Examiner's Dave Drucker "organizational guidance and help run Cruz' more nationally focused operation") Founder (2005) of Axiom Strategies, based in Kansas City, MO. Has run dozens of campaigns, helping to elect 31 congressmen and 4 U.S. Senators. A consultant to Gov. Rick Perry's 2011-12 presidential campaign. Worked on voter ID on Mike Huckabee's 2008 campaign. Started out working for then-state Rep. Sam Graves in 1994; held elect him to the state Senate and to Congress in 2000; served as Graves' chief of staff. Graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. Served in the Army National Guard. Native of Brookfield, MO. twitter
Chief Strategist/General Consultant Jason
Johnson
(from Jan. 2011) Owner of J2 Strategies in
Austin from Sept. 2004
to present. Key figure on Cruz's 2012 primary and general
election campaigns. Chief of staff to Texas Attorney General Greg
Abbott,
2002-04. Campaign manager on Abbott for Attorney General,
2002. Communications director to state Sen. Todd Staples,
2000-01. Camapign manager on Todd Staples for State Senate,
1999-2000. Attended Texas A&M University. twitter
Political Nick Muzin
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Politico's
Burgess
Everett and John Bresnahan) Announced in July 2014 as deputy
chief of staff for strategy in the Senate office. Director of
coalitions for
the House Republican Conference starting Jan. 2013. Chief of
staff and political director to then Congressman Tim Scott, Jan.
2011-Jan. 2013. Corporate counsel at The InterTech Group, Jan.
2008-Dec. 2010. Senior medical advisor on John McCain 2008.
Attorney at Williams & Connolly LLP, Sept. 2005-Jan. 2008.
Legal counsel at the Republican National Committee, Aug.-Nov.
2004. J.D. from Yale Law School, 2005; M.D. from Albert Einstein
College of Medicine, 2001; B.A. in biology from Yeshiva University,
1997. twitter
Political Joel Mowbray
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Politico's Burgess Everett and John Bresnahan) Consultant at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Syndicated columnist for the Tribune Company. Author of Dangerous Diplomacy: How the State Department Threatens America's Security (Regnery). Reporter at National Review, 2002-03. Founder and vice president of business development at Price Compare Technologies, 2000-02. Legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, 1999. Policy analyst at Pioneer Strategies, 1997-98. Graduate of the University of Illinois and Georgetown Law School. Grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago.
Communications and Digital [consultant] Jason Miller
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Washington Examiner's Dave
Drucker) Partner and executive vice president at Jamestown
Associates from Jan. 2010. Executive at a communications
firm. Deputy director of communications
in charge of rapid response and surrogate speakers on the Rudy Giuliani
campaign from April 2007 to 2008. Deputy chief of staff to South
Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. Campaign manager for Sanford's 2006
re-election campaign; he came to the Sanford campaign after serving as
campaign
manager for Sen. George Allen's 2006 re-election campaign through late
2005. In 2003-04 Miller was campaign manager for Jack Ryan's U.S.
Senate
campaign in Illinois, and after that effort ended he worked on Tom
Coburn's U.S.
Senate campaign in Oklahoma. Campaign manager on Ric Keller's
successful 2000 campaign for Congress in Florida's 8th CD, then served
as chief of
staff to the Florida Congressman. Worked for Sen. Slade Gorton
(R-WA). Graduate of The George Washington University.
Native of Seattle,
Washington. twitter
Senior Advisor Brian Phillips
(start March 14, 2015; reported by the Washington Times
on March 9, 2015) Communications director to U.S. Sen. Mike Lee
from
Feb. 2011. Campaign manager on Sean Bielat for Congress.
Communications director on Poliquin for Governor, April 2009-June
2010. Press secretary to U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce (NM), May
2007-Dec.
2008; communications director on People for Pearce, Oct. 2007-Nov.
2008. Manager of media relations at the Tax Foundation, July
2006-May
2007. Media associate at the Heritage Foundation, Jan. 2004July
2006.
Senior Communications Advisor Rick Tyler
(reported Feb. 9, 2015 by the Houston
Chronicle +) Principal at
The Growth Factory from Jan. 2015;
associate at the Strategy Group Commpany from May 2013. Senior
advisor to Winning Our Future, a pro-Gingrich super PAC, from late
2011. Worked for Newt Gingrich from June 1999-June 2011.
Press secretary and spokesman on the first interation of Gingrich's
presidential campaign through June. 2011. Spokesman to Gingrich;
founding director of Renewing American
Leadership, a 501(c)(3) organization (Gingrich honorary
chairman). Tyler was a candidate field trainer for
GOPAC for 10 years. Executive director of the Maine Republican
Party, 1995-99. Originally from Hampton, NH. twitter
Communications Catherine Frazier
(reported by the Texas Tribune's Abby Livingston on
March 10, 2015;
leaving as press secretary in the Senate office at the end of March
2015) Press secretary in Cruz's Senate office from Jan. 2013-end
of March 2015. Press secretary in the Office of
Gov. Rick Perry, Feb. 2012-Jan. 2013. Deputy communications
director (March-Dec. 2010) and deputy press secretary (from Sept. 2009)
at Texans for Rick Perry. Senior writer, press assistant, and
scheduler in the Office of Gov. Rick Perry from Jan. 2007. B.S.
in public relations and B.A. in government from University of Texas at
Austin, 2006. twitter
Digital Director Josh Perry
(reported by the Texas Tribune's Patrick Svitek on
March 18, 2015)
Digital director in Cruz's Senate office. Digital
director for the Ted Cruz for Senate campaign. Prior to joining the
campaign he worked at Harris Media and the Republican Party of Texas.
Perry is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and native of
Port Arthur, Texas. twitter
National Fundraising [consultant] Lauren
Lofstrom
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Washington Examiner's Dave Drucker) Worked at the Republican Governors Association as recruitment director in the 2012 cycle and Governors Roundtable and Club membership director in the 2010 cycle. Finance director for the Dino Rossi for Governor 2008 campaign. Scheduling assistant to U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith from late 2006-Oct. 2007. B.A. in communication and media studies from Washington State University, 2006.
Finance Director Rachel Dawson
Finance
director
on Cruz's 2012 campaign for U.S. Senate. Deputy director
of events at the Republican Governors Association, July-Sept.
2011. Finance assistant (April-Dec.
2010)
and
finance
intern
(Sept.
2009-March
2010)
on
Gov.
Rick
Perry’s 2010
re-election campaign, . B.S. in event management from University
of Florida, 2009. Originally from Orlando, FL.
Polling Chris Perkins
Partner at WPA
Opinion
Research since March 2009 and runs the firms Texas office.
Manager of the independent expenditure (IE) unit for the RNC, July
2006-Dec. 2008. Executive director of Americans for a Republican
Majority PAC, the leadership PAC of former House Majority Leader Tom
DeLay, Jan. 2001-June 2006; oversaw the 2003 Texas redistricting
process for Republicans. B.S. in political science and government
from Abilene Christian University, 1999.
Senior Advisor Bryan English
(reported by the Houston Chronicle's Kevin Diaz on March 4, 2015) Research analyst, May 2009-Feb. 2015. Director of public relations and outreach at the Iowa Family Policy Center, June 2008-Oct. 2010. Policy advisor to U.S. Rep. Steve King, June 2005-June 2008. Campaign manager to Iowa state Rep. Mike May, June-Dec. 2004. Associate pastor at First Baptist Church, Oct. 1998-June 2004; co-founder of Hot Rod Ministries, June 2002-04. B.A. in fine art from University of Sioux Falls, 1992.
Senior Advisor LaDonna Ryggs
(reported by the the Washington
Examiner's David Drucker on March 17, 2015 +) Based in
Greer, Ryggs has worked as a communications
consultant (Just Saying Communications) since Aug. 2014.
Managing editor of Palladian View, a digital outreach movement for
Republican women, Sept. 2011-March 2014. Chair of the Spartanburg
County GOP, 2009-13. Administrative assistant to the directors of
publishing and marketing at Bob Jones University, June 1999-Sept.
2011. B.S. in speech education (1986) and M.A. in platform arts
(2003) from Bob Jones University. Ryggs also served as president
of the South Carolina Federation of Republican Women from Jan.
2006-Dec. 2007.
Notes:
>In a Nov. 6, 2014 article U.S.
News' David Catanese reported, "Sen. Ted Cruz has deployed advisers
to begin scoping out office space for a potential 2016 presidential
campaign, a source with knowledge of the move tells U.S. News."
>Endorsement:
Saul
Anuzis,
former
chairman
of
the
Michigan
Republican
Party
(Dec.
30,
2014)
former
Senior Political Advisor Chip Roy
...reported
Nov. 18, 2014 to serve as First Assistant Attorney General to Texas
Attorney General-elect Ken Paxton
(announced as senior political advisior Sept. 10, 2014; previously chief of staff to Sen. Cruz from the outset of his tenure (first reported by DMN Todd Gillman on Nov. 28, 2012) to Sept. 2014). Senior advisor to Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Senior advisor on Perry's presidential campaign. Director of state-federal relations in the Office of the Governor of Texas. Per Todd Gillman, ghost writer for Perry's book Fed Up! Special assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Texas. Roy worked for Sen. John Cornyn from 2002-09, including as staff director at the Republican Conference; senior counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee; and staffer on Sen. Cornyn's 2002 campaign for Senate. Bachelor's degree in commerce and master's degree in management information systems from the University of Virginia; law degree from the University of Texas. twitter
Other key
people in Cruz-land
> Senate Office
www.cruz.senate.gov
| SenatorTedCruz
|
@SenTedCruz
Chief of Staff Paul Teller
(announced Sept. 10,
2014) Previously deputy
chief of staff (announced Jan. 13, 2014). Worked at the
Republican Study
Committee (RSC) from Feb. 2001 to Dec. 2013, as legislative director,
deputy director and director until he was fired by RSC chair U.S. Rep.
Steve Scalise on Dec. 12, 2013. A staff member for the Committee
on House Administration under Rep. Bill Thomas, 2000-01. Senior
account executive at The Washington Times, national weekly edition,
1996-99. Research associate at the National Center for Public
Policy Research, summer 1996. Advertising director at the College
Republican National Committee, 1994-95. Ph.D. in political
science from American University, 1999; bachelor’s degree in political
science from Duke University, 1993.
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations James
Christoferson
(announced Sept. 10, 2014) "Over ten years of
senior legislative
experience on Capitol Hill,
including as deputy chief of staff and legislative director for former
U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX). Most recently, he
served as
clerk of the Senate Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice
and Science (CJS). Christoferson also has extensive experience
working
in Texas state and local governments, including coordinating the
economic development efforts for the Denton County Judge and serving as
Texas’ Director of the Office of Defense Affairs, where he managed
programs to assist communities adversely impacted by the federal Base
Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. Christoferson holds a
bachelor’s degree from Hardin-Simmons University."
Senior Advisor Brooke Bacak
(announced
July 7, 2014; previously legislative director from Jan.
2013) Assistant dean
at the University of Alabama School of Law. Formerly
served as U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) Senate Judiciary Committee
chief counsel as well as on the staffs of Sens. Kyl and Sessions.
Law
degree
from
the
University
of
Alabama
School
of
Law;
bachelor’s
degree from Auburn University.
Senior Policy Advisor Sean Rushton
(senior policy advisor from April 2014; communications
director from
Jan. 2013) Worked on the Cruz campaign as
senior advisor for communications. Director of corporate
communications
at Mission Essential Personnel, LLC, March 2009-Aug. 2012.
Communications director at the U.S. Small Business Administration, Dec.
2006-Jan. 2009. Executive director of C. Boyden Gray’s Committee
for Justice, 2003-06. Media director at Citizens Against
Government Waste, 2000-03. Press secretary for U.S. Rep. Bill
Archer (R-TX), 1998-2000. Deputy press secretary for U.S. Rep. Ed
Royce (R-CA), 1996-98. B.S. in foreign service, international
relations, law and organization (1995); and M.A. in liberal studies
(2001) from Georgetown University. twitter
Legislative Director Jeff Murray
(announced July 7, 2014) "Most recently served
as Sen. Cruz's
deputy legislative director, managing issues before the Senate Commerce
Committee. He previously served as legislative counsel to Sen. Jim
DeMint, R-SC, where he managed issues before the Senate Banking
Committee. Prior to joining the Senate, he was director of legislative
affairs for the Nickles Group and legislative counsel to Congressman
Tom Feeney. Jeff received a bachelor's degree from Auburn University
and a law degree from Samford University Cumberland School of Law."
Communications Director Amanda Carpenter
(announced as communications director on Nov. 12,
2014; previously speechwriter and senior communications advisor from
Jan. 2013) Speechwriter and senior
communications advisor to U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, Feb. 2010-Jan.
2013. Columnist, reporter and blogger at The Washington Times,
April 2009-Feb. 2010. National political reporter at Townhall.com
and Townhall magazine, Feb. 2008-April 2009. Election blogger for
Glamour magazine, 2008. Congressional correspondent for
Human
Events, Aug. 2005-Feb. 2008. B.A. in communications from Ball
State University, 2005. Native of Montrose, MI. twitter
Press
Secretary Catherine Frazier
(Jan. 2013) Press secretary in the Office of Gov. Rick Perry, Feb. 2012-Jan. 2013. Deputy communications director (March-Dec. 2010) and deputy press secretary (from Sept. 2009) at Texans for Rick Perry. Senior writer, press assistant, and scheduler in the Office of Gov. Rick Perry from Jan. 2007. B.S. in public relations and B.A. in government from University of Texas at Austin, 2006. ...to PAC
Deputy Press Secretary Phil Novack
(announced Nov. 12, 2014) "Most recently worked
at Salesforce in
San Francisco, where he led communications for the company’s public
sector business and several of its fastest-growing apps. He previously
led global communications for Mindjet and began his Silicon Valley
career at Sparkpr. Novack served on the communications staff of 2006
Michigan gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos and began his political
career working for former Michigan Gov. John Engler. He holds a
bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton University and is a native
of Warren, MI." twitter
Digital Director Josh Perry
(announced
Nov. 12, 2014) Most recently served
as digital
director for the Ted Cruz for Senate campaign. Prior to joining the
campaign he worked at Harris Media and the Republican Party of Texas.
Perry is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and native of
Port Arthur, Texas. ...to PAC
Deputy Digital Director Jack Minor
(announced Nov. 12, 2014) Most recently served as a digital associate at Heritage Action for America. He has also served as a digital and creative consultant to multiple congressional campaigns. Minor received bachelor's degrees in political science and broadcast journalism from Elon University and is a native of Conover, North Carolina.
Senior Economist and Director of Outreach Max Pappas
(Jan. 2013) Vice president of public policy and
government affairs at FreedomWorks, May 2008-Dec. 2012. Director
of research at BGR Group (formerly Barbour Griffith & Rogers),
2006-08. Policy analyst/director of policy at FreedomWorks,
2003-06. Research assistant to P.J. O'Rourke; also did freelance
writing, 2001-03. Candidate for state representative in
Massachusetts, April-Nov. 2002. Research assistant at the Cato
Institute, 1999-2000. M.Sc. from London School of Economics and
Political Science, 1999; B.A. in economics from the College of the Holy
Cross, 1997.
Director of Scheduling Dougie Simmons
(Jan. 2013) Director of events at the RNC, Oct.
2011-Dec. 2012. Scheduler to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Aug.
2009-Dec. 2011. Associate at The Larrison Group, July 207-Oct.
2008. Executive assistant to the Director of the National
Economic Council at the White House, Feb. 2005-Aug. 2007.
Scheduler in the Office of Presidential Scheduling at the White House,
May 2004-Feb. 2005. Scheduler in the Office of the Secretary at
the U.S. Department of the Treasury, April 2003-May 2004. Staff
assistant to Sen. Jeff Sessions, Jan.-Aprii 2003. Graduate of the
University of Alabama, 2002.
Administrative Director Kimberly Levernier
(started in Nov. 2012) Administrative director
to Sen. Ron Johnson, Jan. 2011-Nov. 2012. Administrative director
(2006-Jan. 2011) and scheduler (2005-06) for Sen. Jim Bunning.
North American events manager at Alltech, 2002-05. Graduate of
Centre College, 2002.
Chief Counsel Scott Keller
(Jan. 2013) Associate at Yetter Coleman LLP,
Nov. 2010-Jan. 2013. Judicial clerk for U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Anthony Kennedy, July 2009-July 2010. Fellow in the
Office of the Soliciter General at the U.S. Department of Justice,
2008-09. Judicial clerk for Chief Judge Alex Kozinski at the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2007-08. J.D. from the
University of Texas School of Law, 2007; B.A. in political science and
philosophy from Purdue University, 2004.
State Director John Drogin
(Jan. 2013) Campaign manager at Ted Cruz for
Senate from Jan. 2011 to present. Associate at Caddo Associates,
April 2010 to present. Campaign manager at Texans for Ted Cruz,
July 2009-April 2010. Press secretary (Aug. 2003-July 2008) and
deputy press secretary (Dec. 2002-Aug. 2003) to Sen. John Cornyn;
deputy press secretary on the Cornyn for Senate campaign, March-Dec.
2002. Chief correspondent for Inside the Vatican magazine and
senior reporter at Vatican Radio. Undergraduate degree from Berea
College. twitter
Chief Strategist/General Consultant Jason
Johnson
(from Jan. 2011) Owner of J2 Strategies in
Austin from Sept. 2004
to present. Chief of staff to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott,
2002-04. Campaign manager on Abbott for Attorney General,
2002. Communications director to state Sen. Todd Staples,
2000-01. Camapign manager on Todd Staples for State Senate,
1999-2000. Attended Texas A&M University. twitter
Political Organization [consultant] Jeff
Roe
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Washington Examiner's Dave Drucker
"organizational guidance and help run Cruz' more nationally focused
operation") Founder (2005) of Axiom Strategies, based in
Kansas City, MO. Has run dozens of campaigns, helping to elect 31
congressmen and 4 U.S. Senators. A consultant to Gov. Rick
Perry's 2011-12 presidential campaign. Worked on voter ID on Mike
Huckabee's 2008 campaign. Started out working for then-state Rep.
Sam Graves in 1994; held elect him to the state Senate and to Congress
in 2000; served as Graves' chief of staff. Graduated from
Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. Served in the
Army National Guard. Native of Brookfield, MO. twitter
Political Nick Muzin
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Politico's
Burgess
Everett and John Bresnahan) Announced in July 2014 as deputy
chief of staff for strategy in the Senate office. Director of
coalitions for
the House Republican Conference starting Jan. 2013. Chief of
staff and political director to then Congressman Tim Scott, Jan.
2011-Jan. 2013. Corporate counsel at The InterTech Group, Jan.
2008-Dec. 2010. Senior medical advisor on John McCain 2008.
Attorney at Williams & Connolly LLP, Sept. 2005-Jan. 2008.
Legal counsel at the Republican National Committee, Aug.-Nov.
2004. J.D. from Yale Law School, 2005; M.D. from Albert Einstein
College of Medicine, 2001; B.A. in biology from Yeshiva University,
1997. twitter
Political Joel Mowbray
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Politico's Burgess Everett and John Bresnahan) Consultant at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Syndicated columnist for the Tribune Company. Author of Dangerous Diplomacy: How the State Department Threatens America's Security (Regnery). Reporter at National Review, 2002-03. Founder and vice president of business development at Price Compare Technologies, 2000-02. Legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, 1999. Policy analyst at Pioneer Strategies, 1997-98. Graduate of the University of Illinois and Georgetown Law School. Grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago.
Senior Political Advisor Chip Roy
(announced as senior political advisior Sept. 10, 2014; previously chief of staff to Sen. Cruz from the outset of his tenure (first reported by DMN Todd Gillman on Nov. 28, 2012) to Sept. 2014). Senior advisor to Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Senior advisor on Perry's presidential campaign. Director of state-federal relations in the Office of the Governor of Texas. Per Todd Gillman, ghost writer for Perry's book Fed Up! Special assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Texas. Roy worked for Sen. John Cornyn from 2002-09, including as staff director at the Republican Conference; senior counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee; and staffer on Sen. Cornyn's 2002 campaign for Senate. Bachelor's degree in commerce and master's degree in management information systems from the University of Virginia; law degree from the University of Texas. twitter
Communications and Digital [consultant] Jason Miller
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Washington Examiner's Dave
Drucker) Partner and executive vice president at Jamestown
Associates from Jan. 2010. Executive at a communications
firm. Deputy director of communications
in charge of rapid response and surrogate speakers on the Rudy Giuliani
campaign from April 2007 to 2008. Deputy chief of staff to South
Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. Campaign manager for Sanford's 2006
re-election campaign; he came to the Sanford campaign after serving as
campaign
manager for Sen. George Allen's 2006 re-election campaign through late
2005. In 2003-04 Miller was campaign manager for Jack Ryan's U.S.
Senate
campaign in Illinois, and after that effort ended he worked on Tom
Coburn's U.S.
Senate campaign in Oklahoma. Campaign manager on Ric Keller's
successful 2000 campaign for Congress in Florida's 8th CD, then served
as chief of
staff to the Florida Congressman. Worked for Sen. Slade Gorton
(R-WA). Graduate of The George Washington University.
Native of Seattle,
Washington. twitter
National Fundraising [consultant] Lauren
Lofstrom
(reported on Aug. 28, 2014 by Washington Examiner's Dave Drucker) Worked at the Republican Governors Association as recruitment director in the 2012 cycle and Governors Roundtable and Club membership director in the 2010 cycle. Finance director for the Dino Rossi for Governor 2008 campaign. Scheduling assistant to U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith from late 2006-Oct. 2007. B.A. in communication and media studies from Washington State University, 2006.
Finance Director Rachel Dawson
Finance
director
on Cruz's 2012 campaign for U.S. Senate. Deputy director
of events at the Republican Governors Association, July-Sept.
2011. Finance assistant (April-Dec.
2010)
and
finance
intern
(Sept.
2009-March
2010)
on
Gov.
Rick
Perry’s 2010
re-election campaign, . B.S. in event management from University
of Florida, 2009. Originally from Orlando, FL.
Polling WPA Opinion Research