PODCAST: Campaign Bosses with Best Track Records in RI Gov Race
Monday, February 03, 2014
GoLocalProv News Team
As the 2014 Rhode Island gubernatorial candidates continue to set their sights on November, GoLocal took a look at who's managing their operations -- and what their track records have been to date.
Related Slideshow: Win-Loss Records for 2014 Gubernatorial Candidates’ Campaign Managers
Oftentimes operating largely behind the scenes, a candidate's campaign manager or consultant plays an instrumental role in the outcome of the race.
The 2014 Rhode Island Gubernatorial candidates have assembled their campaign teams -- and managers, all of whom bring extensive political operative experience to the table.
Below is a look at the "batting average" of past efforts of the current set of top operatives when they were at the helm of other political races.
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Eric Hyers - Campaign Manager, Gina Raimondo
Congressman David Cicilline's 2010 Campaign: WON
Congressman David Cicilline's 2012 Campaign: WON
NJ State Senator Nia Gill's 2013 Campaign: WON
MA State Sen. Karen Spilka 2013 Congressional Campaign: LOST
Winning Percentage: .750
Hyers, who cut his teeth organizing for for now-Senator Kirsten Gillibrand when she first ran for Congress in 2006, worked as a field organizer for John Edwards for President in the 2008 Iowa caucuses, directed a statewide field operation in Wyoming, managed state legislative races in Virginia and New Jersey, and served as the Executive Director of the Connecticut Democratic Party.
Hyers scored big while managing campaigns in New Jersey and Rhode Island, but came up short most recently in Massachusetts.
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Danny Kedem - Campaign Manager, Angel Taveras
Anthony Wiener's 2013 New York Mayoral Campaign: QUIT
New Haven Mayor John DeStefano's 2011 Campaign: WON
Winning Percentage: .500
Kedem joined Wiener's political comeback bid after Weiner had resigned from Congress in a sexting scandal -- only to leave when Wiener once more was caught continuing the habit, spelling his downfall once again.
Connecticut Magazine's Jennifer Swift delineated Kedem's campaign history as having successful managed a New Haven mayoral bid, as well as outlining Kedem's early days organizing for Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill’s U.S. Senate campaign and Hillary Clinton's 2008 run for the presidency.
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Jeff Britt -- Campaign Consultant, Ken Block
2002 Bruce Bayuk RI General Assembly Write-In Campaign: LOST
2006 RI Governor Donald Carcieri Campaign: WON
2012 Mark Binder RI General Assembly Campaign: LOST
Winning Percentage: .333
Seasoned political operative Britt lost close races in Bayuk and Binder, but scored big with Carcieri while working alongside Ken McKay. Following the Bayuk effort, Britt served in the "Carcieri 1" administration to work across the aisle and support GOP efforts statewide.
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Patrick Sweeney -- Campaign Consultant, Allan Fung
2010 John Loughlin Congressional Campaign: LOST
2012 Barry Hinckley Senate Campaign: LOST
Winning Percentage: .000
The former Executive Director of the Rhode Island Republican Party has extensive campaign and consulting experience, but is still looking to win big spearheading a major candidate effort.
Sweeney was Deputy Campaign Manager for Loughlin in 2010.
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Devin Driscoll -- Campaign Manager, Clay Pell
Northeast Regional Director, Organizing for Action
Communications Director, Rhode Islanders United for Marriage
Winning Percentage: N/A
Driscoll has headed up successful grassroots efforts and served on the Obama for America campaign in two separate stints, as Rhode Island state director for the 2012 campaign and as a field organizer in 2008. Managing Pell's run for Governor marks Driscoll's first bid to win a statewide office campaign.
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