McCain General Election Campaign Organization, Michigan
updated October 2, 2008
On Oct. 2, 2008 the McCain-Palin campaign confirmed reports it was cutting back operations in Michigan. 

In a conference call, political director Mike DuHaime stated, "The operations will be scaled back, but we'll still be in place in Michigan.  Resources in terms of some staff and other resources will move to Maine, where we will be opening up an aggressive front in Maine...also specifically to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania..."  Senior advisor Greg Strimple added, in response to a question on advertising, "We will obviously monitor the state and if we see a swing back in our favor, we'll go re-engage.  It has honestly been the state that since I've been involved in the campaign, which is the end of July of this year, it's been the worst state of all the states that are in play.  It's an obvious one from our perspective for it to come off the list."

Michigan Republican Party (MRP) Chairman Saulius “Saul” Anuzis issued this statement:
“I have always said that the winds that drive presidential campaign decisions can shift and shift suddenly.  I have no doubt the campaign will be back.  This has occurred previously, in some degree or another, in the 2000 and 2004 campaigns, and when polls tighten, advertising can quickly be added and people moved back to Michigan.  That’s why while we’ve been breaking our backs for the McCain campaign, we’ve also remained focused on our Michigan priorities – re-electing Chief Justice Cliff Taylor, Congressmen Joe Knollenberg and Tim Walberg, and electing Republicans to the state house, county, and local offices.
 
"The infrastructure we built isn’t really affected by decisions like this that come so late in the game.  Also, knowing the fickle nature of national campaigns, the Michigan Republican Party had the foresight to open several volunteer centers around the state with the sole mission of focusing on our Michigan candidates.”


McCain-Palin 2008
Great Lakes Regional Headquarters: 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 100  |  Farmington Hills, MI 48344   ...grand opening July 14, 2008
Regional Campaign Manager, Great Lakes (MI, WI, IN) Jennifer Hallowell
Executive director of Rudy Giuliani's NH primary campaign (announced May 9, 2007).  Executive director of the Indiana Republican Party in 2006.  Directed Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi's 2006 re-election campaign, which was the only Republican countywide victory in Indianapolis that year.  Vice president of new market development for Angie’s List, 2005.  Director of political strategy for Mitch Daniels’ successful 2004 gubernatorial campaign.  Political director of the Indiana Republican Party.  From 1995-2000, Hallowell worked for Indiana Congressman David McIntosh in various fundraising and political capacities including deputy campaign manager for his unsuccessful 2000 gubernatorial bid and campaign manager for his successful 1998 congressional campaign.

Regional Communications Director
 		Leah Yoon
Senior manager for media relations at NPR starting in Jan. 2007.  Worked in media relations for Fox News Channel in Washington, DC.  Washington State communications director for Bush-Cheney '04.  Worked in the office of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; served on Bloomberg's 2001 campaign.  Yoon attended Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs and Julliard.

Regional Coalitions Director
 		Lynn Aronoff
Aronoff, of Royal Oak, is CEO and president of the consulting firm Action Strategies.  Michigan political director on Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign.  Regional coalitions director for the DeVos for Governor campaign in 2006.  Campaign manager for Myrah Kirkwood’s congressional campaign in Michigan's 5th CD (Genesee, Tuscola, and portions of Saginaw and Bay Counties) in 2004.  She has previously directed the state’s largest GOP conference – the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference.  Aronoff worked in the administration of Gov. John Engler as representative and spokesperson in Southeastern Michigan.  She has also worked as an account executive at Dickerson-Govan Management, Inc.  Graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.


Michigan State Director
 Albert Ribeiro
Political director on Rudy Giuliani's NH primary campaign.  Previously worked for Jamestown Associates, a political and media consulting firm, in Washington, DC as the director of operations and media buyer, and then a vice-president in the firm.  Has worked for campaigns in seven states for all levels of government.



Victory 2008  |  31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 100  |  Farmington Hills, MI 48344   ...Matt Chisolm
Director
 Michael Grissom
(announced June 24, 2008)  Most recently, Grissom worked as a deputy political director for John McCain in South Carolina and as Victory director for the Republican Party of Kentucky.  72-Hour director for the RNC and Maryland Republican Party, June 2005-Dec. 2006.  He has worked on a number of campaigns including Rep. Rick Keller and Melissa Brown

Victory Offices
Ann Arbor - 2245 State Street,  Ann Arbor, MI    ...Contact: Scott Greenlee  

Brighton - 2455 E. Grand River, Suite 101, Brighton, MI    ...Contact: Phil Kraft 

Genesee County - 12741 S. Saginaw St., Suite D, Grand Blanc, MI    ....Contact: Mike Telliga  

Grand Rapids - 264 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI    ...Contact: Chris Bradley  

Jackson - 1931 Horton Rd., Suite 3, Jackson, MI    ...Contact: Nicholas Diggs  

Kalamazoo County - 1210 Milham Ave., Suite 103, Portage, MI    ...Contact: Cassandra Basore  

Lansing - 2121 East Grand River, Lansing, MI    ...Contact: John Witt  

Livonia - 34020 W. Seven Mile Rd., Livonia, MI    ...Contact: Gailute Dedinas  

Macomb County - 34620 Utica Rd, Fraser, MI    ...Contact: Janice Nearon  

North Oakland County - 8330 Highland Rd, White Lake, MI    ...Contact: Matt Chisholm  

Ottawa County - 511 E. 8th St., Holland, MI    ...Contact: Chad Fauske  

Traverse City - 121 Front St (Suite 102), Traverse City, MI    ...Contact: Brandon Darin  

Wyandotte - 3138 Biddle Ave., Unit 2, Wyandotte, MI    ...Contact: Pricsilla Parness  


State Finance Chairs:
Chairman  James B. Nicholson
Co-Chairman  Harold Beznos
Co-Chairman  John Rakolta
Honorary Chairman  C. Michael Kojaian
Honorary Chairman  Ambassador Ronald Weiser



Michigan Republican Party  |  Secchia-Weiser Michigan Republican Center  |  520 Seymour St.  |  Lansing, MI 48933    >
Chairman
 Saulius "Saul" Anuzis
(elected chairman in 2005 and again in 2007)  In 2001, Anuzis and partner Bruce Yuille co-founded Quick Connect USA, a telecommunications firm; he is currently on leave of absence from the firm.  In 1990 he and  Yuille founded Coast to Coast Telecommunications; the sold the business in 2000.  Managed Dick Posthumus' first Senate race, and worked closely with Posthumus throughout his rise in Michigan politics, including serving as chief of staff to then Majority Leader Posthumus.  The youngest delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1980.  Studied economics at the University of Michigan.
Co-Chair
 Jane Abraham


Executive Director
 Jeff Timmer
Previously vice president at The Sterling Corporation, a public affairs, public relations, and campaign consulting firm.  He has directed numerous legislative, congressional, and statewide political and ballot issue campaigns in Michigan, and provided strategic advice to corporate, public affairs, and political campaign clients.  Timmer is one of Michigan's leading redistricting experts and has served as an advisor to Speakers of the Michigan House, Michigan Senate Majority Leaders, the Michigan House and Senate Republican campaign committees, and the Michigan Republican Party.  He served as deputy director of the Michigan Senate Majority Communications Office and was political director of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee.  He also served as a special assistant to the Michigan House Speaker and as a legislative analyst and communications specialist for the Michigan House of Representatives.  Graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University.


Political
Political Director

Deputy Political Director of Field Operations & Logistics

Deputy Political Director of Voter Programs & Coalitions

Elections Activities Director

Project Analyst

Regional Field Director

Regional Field Director Northern Michigan

Regional Field Director Oakland County

Regional Field Director- Wayne/Macomb 		Larry Ward

Dan Blough

Kelly Harrigan

Randy Wood

Christie Lilleboe

Ryan Fox

Brandon Darin

Galyle Alberda

Gailute Dadinas


Communications & Research
Director of Research and Communications

Media Relations Coordinator

Media Relations Coordinator

Research Assistant

Visual Communication Coordinator

Research Assistant 		Bill Nowling

Jessica Aspiras

Megan Piwowar

Robert Wolfer

George Blichar

Brian Began


Fundraising
Finance Director

Deputy Finance Director

Executive Assistant to the Chairman

Major Donor Program Manager 		Josh Venable

Michelle Rudoni

Megan Danielson

Erin Meeter

Legislative Campaigns
Legislative Campaign Coordinator

Legislative Campaign Assistant 		Patrick Meyers

Mike Telliga

Party & Candidate Assistance
Director of Candidate & Party Assistance

Deputy Director for Candidate & Party Assistance

Events Coordinator 		Rob Macomber

Jason Geer

Dawn Wade


Technology
IT Director
 Brian Bellgowan


Business Administration
Accounting Director

Accounting Assistant

Administrative Assistant
 		Henrietta Tow

Michelle McQuiston

Jessica Wade



McCain primary
2004
Copyright © 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action