Ben Carson has a team of Republican journeymen at the helm of his underdog presidential campaign.
As a group, they’re not among the most sought-after GOP operatives of the 2016 cycle. None will turn heads among coveted donors prone to being impressed by big-name hires. Other campaigns won’t be green with envy that they missed out on a consultant who has found an innovative way to move votes or generate energy on the trail. But they are experienced, with lengthy resumes that span presidential campaigns and service on prominent GOP campaign committees.
What they are not are political outsiders like Carson.
The famous pediatric neurosurgeon, 63, is making his first run for elected office. Even newly-minted GOP White House candidate Carly Fiorina, who is casting herself as an outsider, ran for Senate in California in 2010, a major political undertaking, and was actively supportive of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012. Veteran Republican strategist Barry Bennett, Carson’s campaign manager, assembled the bulk of the candidate’s campaign operation.
“All of our senior staff has decades of experience doing this,” Bennett told the Washington Examiner. “We’ve been around a long time.”
Bennett said that he was introduced to Carson by Ed Brookover, a mutual friend and longtime GOP consultant. Bennett and Carson hit it off, and the rest is history. Brookover is serving as a senior strategist on the Carson campaign, which officially kicked off on Monday with an announcement by the candidate in Detroit, his hometown. Carson now lives in Palm Beach, Fla. His campaign is headquartered in Alexandria, Va., near Washington.
Carson’s advisors might not be considered among the most cutting edge. That’s a potential detriment in an evolving media and political environment. But their experience should serve the candidate well, particularly because he has no campaign experience whatsoever. Additionally, they could help Carson avoid some of the pitfalls that tend to sink true political outsiders.
A Republican operative who has consulted for novice candidates said they often hire people to advise them that are as green as they are. Not only are they incapable of performing the political duties for which they were tapped, but they are such believers in the candidate it never occurs to them to tell them “no” or that what they are doing might be detrimental to winning the election.
“One of the finance aides was a bartender at a resort that they met and just liked,” said this GOP operative, recalling a sojourn on a prior campaign.
The following is a rundown of Carson’s senior campaign aides:
Barry Bennett,campaign manager
Veteran Ohio GOP strategist. Longtime close advisor to Sen. Rob Portman and probably would have consulted for the Buckeye State Republican had he run for president. Worked on President Reagan’s 1984 re-election campaign.
Ed Brookover, senior strategist
Served as political director for the National Republican Congressional Committee in the second half of the 1990s, and in the same position for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, now the NRSC, in the late 1980s. Brookover was national field director for the Republican National Committee in the 1986 cycle.
Doug Watts, communications director
A longtime private sector advertising executive. Before that, served as the ad director on Reagan-Bush ’84 and communications director on George Deukmejian’s campaign for governor in California, 1982.
Deana Bass, press secretary
A partner at the D.C. firm Bass Public Affairs. Before that, deputy director of coalitions at the RNC and director of coalitions at the House Republican Conference.
Mike Murray, senior advisor/grassroots fundraising
President and CEO of TMA Direct and the managing partner of Precision Data Management, both headquartered in Northern Virginia. He’s performed digital and data marketing services for GOP presidential candidates including: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty; businessman Herman Cain; and 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney.
Amy Pass, national finance director
President of The Pass Group, LLC in Nashville. Served as national finance director for Gingrich’s 2012 presidential campaign. Before that she raised money for Gingrich’s 527 organization.
Other key players include:
Dean Parker, national finance chairman
Paul Sullivan, general counsel
G. Michael Brown, national field director
Ryan Rhodes, Iowa state director
Ruth Sherlock, South Carolina state director
Jimmy Stracner, Nevada state director
