Donald
Trump
Organization—Pre-Campaign
more recent
edition >
(page
updated May 21, 2015)
The Donald J. Trump Presidential
Exploratory Committee
(announced
March 18, 2015)
Senior Political Advisor Corey R.
Lewandowski
(started in Jan. 2015; reported Feb. 25, 2015)
National director of
voter registration (from March 2014) and East Coast regional director
(March 2013-March 2014) and New Hampshire state director (from 2008) at
Americans for Prosperity. Director of
public affairs at Schwartz MSL, Sept. 2004-July 2012. Executive
director of the New England Seafood Producers Association, May
2003-Aug. 2004. Campaign manager and communications director on
Bob Smith for U.S. Senate, Dec. 2001-Jan. 2003. Northeast region
legislative political director for the RNC, April-Nov. 2001.
Administrative assistant to U.S. Rep. Robert Ney (R-OH), Dec. 1997-Feb.
2001. Development assistant at Citizens for a Sound Economy,
May-Nov. 1997. Executive assistant to U.S. Rep. Peter Torkildsen
(R-MA), Jan. 1996-Jan. 1997. Masters in political science from
American University, 1997; B.A. in political science from University of
Massachusetts Lowell, 1995.
Press Secretary Hope Hicks
Legal Counsel Donald F. McGahn
Partner at Jones
Day.
also note. a
key Trump advisor but not part of the exploratory committee...
Executive Vice President and Special Counsel to
Donald J. Trump
Michael Cohen
Joined The Trump Organization in 2006; key advisor t
Trump on his 2011
look into running (ShouldTrumpRun.com). Formerly partner at
Phillips Nizer, LLP. Candidate for New York City Council in 2003,
running as a Republican against Eva Moskowitz (D). twitter
Advisors
Chuck Laudner
(reported by Breitbart on Feb. 24, 2015) On Jan.
24, 2015 the Des Moines Register
reported that
Laudner had been named camapign coordinator for Tea Party Patriots
Citizens Fund. Campaign manager on Sam Clovis' U.S. Senate
primary campaign in 2014. Prominent supporter of Rick Santorum in
2011-12 Iowa Caucus campaign. Managed the anti-retention campaign
(Iowa for Freedom) in
2010. Executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa,
2007-08. Chief of staff to Rep. Steve King, 2003-06, and senior
policy advisor for several months at the end of 2006. In 2002
Laudner guided Steve King to victory in four-way
special nominating convention in the 5th CD. Managed Bill
Salier's 2002 primary campaign against Sen. Chuck Grassley.
Worked on Steve Forbes' 2000 campaign.
Ryan Keller
(announced April 7,
2015) Deputy
Iowa Victory director and test manager, Sept.-Dec. 2014. Campaign
manager on Zaun for Congress, Jan.-Sept. 2014. Executive director
of Polk County Republicans, Nov. 2011-Jan. 2014. Iowa political
and organizational director on Americans for Rick Perry, an independent
527 group, July-Aug. 2011; Iowa field staffer on the initial interation
of Newt 2012. Staffer in the Republican Senate Minority
Leader's Office in the Iowa Senate. Political and organizational
director on Zaun for Congress, 2010. General manager at Heart of
America, limited service hotel, 2002-08. Personal and small
business banker at Wells Fargo, 1998-2001. Master's degree from
Drake University. Bachelor's degree from Grand View
College. A.A. from Indian Hills Community College. Lifelong
Iowan. twitter
Brad Nagel
(announced April 7, 2015) COO at Providence
International, LLC. Served as a U.S. Navy
SEAL; retired in
2012. M.B.A.
from the University of Iowa, 2014; B.S. in workforce education and
development
from Southern Illinois University. Originally from Cherokee, Iowa
and now a resident of Coralville. twitter
Chris Hupke
(announced April 7, 2015) President of the SD Family Policy Council. Graduate of Iowa State University. twitter
Senior Political
Advisor Corey Lewandowski is based in New Hampshire. (see above)
State Director Matt Ciepielowski
(reported Feb. 25, 2015) New Hampshire
field director at Americans for Prosperity, April 2012-Feb. 2015.
Youth for Ron Paul regional coordinator in Louisiana, Oct. 2011-March
2012. B.A. in political science, public relations from Quinnipiac
University, 2011. Active in Young Americans for Liberty,
including Connecticut state chair, June 2010-July 2011. twitter
Deputy State Director Andrew Georgevits
(announced March 31,
2015) Vice
chairman of Concord City GOP. Sales rep. for Off the Vine from
Jan. 2010; crew manager for Capital Productions from April 2004; owner
of Andrew's Auto Detailing from Jan. 2004; marketing rep. for LaBelle
Winery from Jan. 2004. Field director for Romney for President in
Merrimack, Belknap, Straffort and Carroll Counties, May-Oct. 2012;
production assistant for Romney for President, Nov. 2011-Jan.
2012. Senior account executive at ReaXion Energy Drink, March
2008-May 2010. Waiter at Outback Steakhouse, Jan. 2004-May 2007.
Coalitions Rep. Joshua Whitehouse
(announced March 31, 2015) Elected to the State
House from
Farmington in Nov. 2014. Administrative assistant at SAN Group,
Inc. from July 2014. Studied at Saint Anselm College. "NH
family since 1632." (In Jan. 2014 Whitehouse launched Draft
Andrew Hemingway for NH Governor PAC. In Nov. 2011 Whitehouse was
announced as part of Jon Huntsman's Gen-H New Hampshire leadership
team). twitter
Field Zach Montanaro
(announced March 31, 2015) Field director on
Marilinda Garcia's
2014 campaign in NH's 2nd CD. Bachelor's degree in political
science from the Catholic University of America. twitter
New Hampshire Leadership Team
(announced May 21,
2015)
Belknap
County
Chair- Josh Youssef
Vice-Chair- Ben Wilson
Carroll
County
Chair- Nate Sullivan
Vice-Chair- Zac Mercauto
Cheshire
County
Chair- Gregory Johnson
Coos County
Co-Chair- Jack Riendeau
Co-Chair-Sandra Riendeau
Grafton
County
Chair- Raul Cervantes
Hillsborough
County
Chair- Ellen Suprunowicz-Stepanek
Vice-Chair- Tony Mayfield
Merrimack
County
Co-Chair- Rick Cibotti
Co-Chair- Debbie Cibotti
Rockingham
County
Co-Chair- Lou Gargiulo
Co-Chair- Mary A. Gargiulo
Strafford
County
Chair- Karen L. Warburton
Sullivan
County
Co-Chair- Cynthia Howard
Co-Chair- Phil Howard
Co-Chair Ed McMullen
(reported as co-chair by The State's Andrew Shaun on March
10, 2015; reported as advisor by the Washington
Post's Robert Costa on Feb. 25, 2015) President of McMullen Public
Affairs LLC, based in Columbia. 25
year
career in public policy, politics, and business. President of the
South Carolina Policy Council, a conservative think tank through
2007.
Experience also includes chairman of the S.C. Research Centers of
Economic Excellence Review Board. Bachelor's degree in
political science from Hampden-Sydney College.
Co-Chair John Russell
(reported as co-chair by The State's
Andrew Shaun on March 10, 2015) Former state legislator; served
in the SC House representing Spartanburg from 1983-87, then in the SC
Senate until retiring in 2000. Assistant to the President Pro Tem
of the U.S. Senate, Sen. Strom Thurmond in 1981; staff counsel to the
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in 1981. J.D. from St. Mary's of
Texas Law School, 1978; B.A. in history from the University of South
Carolina, 1973. Son of former Gov. Donald S. Russell.
Political Advisor State Rep. James H.
Merrill
(reported Feb. 25, 2015) Member of the House,
elected in 2000;
represents District
99-Berkeley and Charleston Counties;served as House Majority Leader
from 2004-Dec. 2008. Owner of Geechie
Communications since 1994. District administrator for U.S. Rep. Mark
Sanford, 1994. Political director for the South Carolina
Republican Party, 1992-98. Press secretary to U.S. Rep. Floyd
Spence, 1989-92. B.A. (1989) and M.P.A. (1992) from University of
South Carolina. Resident of Daniel Island. Originally from
Florida.
Political
Director Jeff Taillon
(announced May 6,
2015) Campaign manager on Henry McMaster for
Lt. Governor, April 2014-Jan. 2015. Director of advance (Sept.
2012-April 2014) and press assistant (Jan. 2011-Sept. 2012) for Gov.
Nikki Haley in the South Carolina Office of the Governor. General
aide on Nikki Haley for Governor, Aug. 2009-Nov. 2010. B.S. in
business and behavioral science from Clemson University, 2009. twitter
Field Director Gerri McDaniel
(announced May 6, 2015) Active role in the
campaigns of several
successful city and county political candidates. 7th CD field
director on Newt Gingrich's 2012 campaign. Grassroots activist on
the SC GOP 2010 Victory campaign. Co-founder of the Myrtle Beach
Tea
Party and is the organizer of the annual SC Tea Party Coalition
Conventions. twitter
In contrast to past presidential considerations,
Trump has built an exploratory organization on the ground in key
states. Corey Lewandowski started quietly in January; the first reports
on
Trump's hiring of political staff appeared in the lead up
to CPAC.
See most notably:
Matthew Boyle. "Exclusive-'Major
Coup': Donald Trump Picks Up Top Iowa Grassroots Operative for
Potential 2016 Campaign." Breitbart,
Feb.
24,
2015.
Robert Costa. "Trump says he is
serious about 2016 bid, is hiring staff and delaying TV gig." The Washington Post, Feb. 25,
2015.
Former
Communications Advisor Sam Nunberg
(at least through CPAC) Director of the Middle East Forum's Legal Project, Jan. 2012-Nov. 2014. Deputy political director at the American Center for Law and Justice, Aug. 2009-Jan. 2011. J.D. from Tuoro College Jacob D Fuchsberg Law Center, 2009. B.A. in history from McGill University, 2004. Served as NYC chair of Students for Mitt. twitter