JOHN McCAIN 2008, INC.
(March
1, 2007)
JOHN
McCAIN 2008 - THE EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE (filed with the FEC to
establish on Nov. 16, 2006)
STRAIGHT
TALK AMERICA (2006 cycle)
Headquarters: 2335 70th Street, Urbandale, IA 50322
Below is a sketch of the campaign as it looked before the July 2, 2007 restructuring and July 10 reverberations (see here for post-restructuring organization). On July 2 state director Matt Strawn left and according to three news sources (the Des Moines Register, the New York Times and Politico) half the staff or more were out as well. The Register's Tom Beaumont reported, "At least 10 McCain staffers working directly on the campaign for the leadoff nominating caucuses have been laid off or have turned down the chance to keep their jobs at lower pay..." Beaumont put the size of the remaining staff at seven. The New York Times reported on July 3, "Mr. McCain’s campaign was in flux particularly in Iowa, where half of his 16-member staff was let go yesterday, campaign officials said." Senior advisors Karen Slifka and Ed Failor, Jr. left following the July 10 shake-up. Other departures included political director Matt Gronewald, communications director Tim Miller and coalitions director Marlys Popma (who later returned). National field director Jon Seaton was poised to take over the reins.
See: Thomas Beaumont. "Low on cash, McCain slashes staff in Iowa to 7." Des Moines Register, July 6, 2007.
Chairman | David Roederer |
State Director | Matt Strawn |
Coalitions Director | Marlys Popma |
Deputy Coalitions Director | Matthew J. Gronewald |
More Coalitions | Patrick Anderson |
Social Conservatives | Katie Jerabek |
Veterans Director | Joel Arends |
Field Director | Marco Nunez |
Regional Field Directors
Scott Will
Field staffer on Jeff Lamberti's
'06 congressional campaign.
Grant Young
Political director on Jeff
Lamberti's '06 congressional campaign. Regional field representative
for Polk and surrounding counties on Bush-Cheney '04. Director of
organization on Greg Ganske for U.S. Senate campaign in 2002; director
of organization on Stan Thompson for Congress. Field organizer on
Gov. Bush's 2000 Iowa caucus campaign.
Bryan Humphreys
Worked for the MN GOP in
the 2006 cycle.
Noreen Bush
Operations director on Gov.
George Pataki's 21st Century Freedom State PAC (announced Sept. 26, 2006)
Experience in government and with Iowa Victory '04. J.D. from Drake
University Law School, 2006. B.A. from Mount Mercy College, 2003.
Andy Van Zee
Field organizer on Jim Nussle's
2006 gubernatorial campaign.
Wes Peterson
Worked on Jim Nussle's 2006
gubernatorial campaign.
also field
Erik Helland
Did some consulting for
Gov. George Pataki's 21st Century Freedom PAC in the 2006 cycle.
Straw Poll Coordinator | Jennifer Crall |
Communications Director | Tim Miller |
Events | Lynn McRoberts |
Office Manager/Social Conservative Outreach | Maxine Sieleman |
Senior Advisor | Chuck Larson |
Senior Advisor | Karen Slifka |
Senior Advisor | Ed Failor, Jr. |
Consultant | Bob Haus |
County Leadership
(May 3, 2007) - Mississippi
Valley Leadership Team comprising backers from Dubuque County south
along the Mississippi River to Lee County on the Missouri border.
(June 7, 2007) - North
Iowa Leadership Team comprising backers from Cerro Gordo County
and several adjacent counties.
(June 21, 2007) - leadership
organization in Marion
and Jasper counties.
(July 9, 2007) - Plymouth
County Leadership Team.
Co-Chairs
former Auditor Richard Johnson
(announced Feb. 22, 2007)
Johnson was appointed Auditor by Gov. Robert Ray in 1979 after the incumbent
died; elected to the position six times; served 24 years. Co-chair of Phil
Gramm’s presidential campaign in 1996, and director and treasurer of Sen.
Charles Grassley’s campaign committee. Appointed as the Director
of Finance for the Iowa Highway Commission in 1968; appointed as the first
Director of the Department of Transportation's Administration Division
in 1975; and appointed as the Director of the Department of Transportation's
Motor Vehicle Division in 1978. Mayor of Sheldahl from 1964-75.
Started in public service as the Sheldahl City Clerk in 1959. Bachelor's
degree in accounting from Drake University; also earned CPA. Native
of Spencer.
former Congressman Greg Ganske
(announced March 28, 2007)
Represented Iowa’s 4th CD in the U.S. House from 1995-2003. Republican
Party nominee for U.S. Senate in 2002.
former state Senate President Jeff Lamberti
(announced April 25, 2007)
Republican Party nominee for Congress in Iowa's 3rd CD in 2006.
Served two terms as an Iowa state Senator and two terms as a state Representative;
elected president of the Iowa Senate by his colleagues in 2004.
Iowa Veterans Advisory Committee
On April 12, 2007 the campaign
announced
its Iowa Veterans Advisory Committee, headed by Colonel Bud Day (Ret.)
as Honorary Chair and Major General Evan Curly Hultman (Ret.) as Chair.
Also, on June 27, 2007 the campaign announced
endorsements of 10 former generals. Note: Back on Oct.
30, 2006 the PAC announced Iowa Veterans Advisory Committee with Hultman
as Chairman and Richard Goebel of Dubuque as Co-Chairman. (Goebel
is not on the new list).
Iowa Mayors for McCain leadership team
On April 2, 2007 the campaign
announced
support of 23 mayors "from both rural and urban communities and draws upon
each of Iowa’s five congressional districts."
On May 7, 2007 the campaign
announced
suport of Davenport Mayor Edwin Winborn.
Mayor since Jan. 2006.
Served 19 years on the Scott County Board of Supervisors and 11 years as
its chairman. Has also served as Scott County Recorder, chairman
of the Scott County Solid Waste Commission, chairman of the Bi-State Metropolitan
Commission, and vice-chairman of the Quad City Development Group.
Private sector experience as the owner and operator of Winborn's Sporting
Goods. M.B.A. from the University of Iowa. Vietnam veteran.
Graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Davenport native.
On April 26, 2007, in conjunction with his announcement tour, the McCain campaign released a list "Iowa Leadership Organization."
Supporters
De Byerly
(announced Feb. 2, 2007)
Grassroots coordinator for Bob Vander Plaats' gubernatorial campaign (through
Feb. 2006); grassroots coordinator for Bush-Cheney ’04 in Iowa; campaign
manager for Bill Salier’s primary campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2002.
Past Iowa caucus experience includes work for both John Kasich and Steve
Forbes' presidential campaigns. Byerly also served as chairwoman
of the Cerro Gordo County Republican Party and as a 2nd District representative
to the Republican Party of Iowa's state central committee. Activist
for Iowa Right to Life, Iowa Christian Alliance, and the National Rifle
Association (NRA).
Iowa Legislative Advisory Team
On Oct. 5, 2006, Straight
Talk America announced that thirteen state legislators had joined together
to form the Iowa Legislative Advisory Team for the PAC.
Sen. Larry McKibben, Sen. John Putney,
Sen. Pat Ward, Sen. Mark Zieman; Rep. Rich Anderson, Rep. Dave
Heaton, Rep. Steve Lukan, Rep. Mike May, Rep. Rod Roberts, Rep.
Bill Schickel, Rep. Doug Struyk, Rep. David Tjepkes,
and Rep. Walt Tomenga.
Notes:
-On Oct. 6, 2005 the Des
Moines Register's Tom Beaumont reported that Rep. Dave Heaton of Mount
Pleasant had not endorsed McCain. Beaumont wrote that Heaton said
he "would remain neutral indefinitely and was 'very disappointed' by the
error."
-Reps. Doug Struyk (Council
Bluffs) and David Tjepkes (Gowrie) switched to Romney (announced on April
4, 2007 as part of his Iowa Legislative Leadership Team.
finally, it is important to note that the person McCain tapped to run his national campaign started out in Iowa:
National Campaign Manager | Terry Nelson |
also see
Straight
Talk Iowa Style (an independent blog, not connected to the campaign)
Copyright © 2006, 2007 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action |
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