House Speaker Paul Ryan has tapped coveted GOP fundraiser Spencer Zwick to serve as the finance chairman of his newly expanded political operation.
Zwick, 35, was the muscle behind Mitt Romney’s 2012 billion-dollar fundraising enterprise. He and Ryan formed a bond during the last presidential campaign, after Romney selected the Wisconsin Republican as his vice presidential running mate. If Zwick delivers for the speaker and, by extension, House Republicans, the way he did for his party’s presidential nominee, Ryan is on pace to fill the fundraising hole created by the departure of his predecessor, John Boehner.
“I’m honored that Spencer is willing to help me setup a finance network that puts House Republicans in a position to defend and expand our majority,” Ryan said in a statement that was published in a press release introducing his political team. “His track record of developing successful political operations speaks for itself, and I have the utmost respect for Spencer.”
Said Zwick: “I am honored to work closely with Speaker Ryan. He continues to distinguish himself as a true patriot and exceptional leader. As a country we are fortunate to have him as the Speaker of the House. He understands better than anyone how to get things done in Washington. I look forward to watching him advance an agenda that is desperately needed for our nation.”
Kevin Seifert, the executive director of Team Ryan, the speaker’s new political arm, told the Washington Examiner in an email that Ryan’s goal is to keep Boehner donors and expand the tent of contributors to the cause of maintaining the House Republican majority by engaging the Romney-Ryan network that Zwick was so essential in cultivating. Ryan brings to the table his own stable of financiers that have supported him over 17 years in Congress, and others he added to the fold during the 2012 campaign.
Zwick’s role is unpaid and voluntary. Bloomberg Politics first reported the news of Ryan securing Zwick to serve as his finance chairman.
Ryan, 45, was elected speaker in late October after Boehner stepped down and resigned from the Ohio congressional seat he had represented since 1991. During more than five years as speaker, Boehner raised roughly more than $100 million for House Republicans. His success was the product of the connections forged during a quarter century on Capitol Hill and a dogged work ethic. Boehner traveled the country raising money nearly every day that the House was not in session.
Ryan became Ways and Means Committee chairman in January. He was already among the GOP’s most recognizable figures and biggest fundraising draws serving in the House, attributable to the brand he built over several years prior to running for vice president. Ryan had long preferred policy to politics. But he did the political work of raising money and media communications to cultivate support for ambitious fiscal reforms that were initially shunned by Republican leaders.
Ryan’s notoriety should position him to pick up right where Boehner left off when it comes to raising money for House Republicans and their campaign committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee. His challenge will be to do so while not traveling for dollars the way Boehner did. Ryan plans to spend most weekends at home with his family in Janesville, Wis., the same as he always has. That’s where Zwick comes in.
Zwick is expected to mine the deep network of Republican donors he developed during Romney’s two presidential campaigns and open new avenues of fundraising for Team Ryan. At least one well-connected Republican fundraiser expects the Ryan-Zwick match to produce results. “Spencer is an amazing fundraiser,” this GOP operative said. “But more importantly, Ryan is an amazing product.”
Ryan’s team had always been close-knit. The Wisconsinite tended to keep his own counsel, relying on a cadre of policy and political aides that numbered small enough to fit comfortably around a living room coffee table. By practical necessity, becoming speaker required Ryan to widen his circle. On the political side, Team Ryan was formed, and went on a bit of a hiring spree.
At the top is Seifert, who left his post as Ryan’s chief of staff in his personal congressional office to assume the role of Team Ryan’s executive director. Seifert has worked for Ryan in various roles since 2009. Seifert’s deputy is Jake Kastan, Ryan’s personal aide during the 2012 presidential campaign and a consultant for the speaker’s Prosperity Action political action committee in the three years since.
Other additions to Team Ryan include:
- Lauren Hamel, as finance director. She previously served as deputy finance director for Boehner’s political team. Hamel was the PAC director at the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2012 cycle.
- Bryant Avondoglio, as director of operations. He held the same position for team Boehner.
- Tim Kronquist, as general counsel. He works for the law firm Holtzman Vogel Josefiak Torchinsky PLLC. Kronquist is a native of Janesville and Ryan’s long-time personal friend. He has been the speaker’s personal and campaign attorney since 1998.
- Jeff Livingston, as senior finance consultant. Livingston, of The Townsend Group, has been Ryan’s top fundraising consultant since 2005.
