Taveras Hires High Powered Consultants
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Providence Mayor Angel Taveras has hired a team of high-profile consultants to head what is now seen as a likely gubernatorial run in 2014. Both the fields of consultants and candidates are heating up with ruminations of a possible Democratic Primary battle between Taveras and current state Treasurer, Gina Raimondo on the horizon, the incumbent Independent Governor, Lincoln Chafee likely to seek a second term, a strong Republican challenger in Mayor Allen Fung of Cranston and Moderate Party Leader Ken Block considering his options.
Peter Baptista Co-founder of the Hamilton Group, LLC
Taveras and his recently hired campaign finance manager Peter Baptista of the Hamilton Group, LLC, local political consultants, have assembled a team of key political powerhouses to set the stage and serve as advisors throughout the process.
Baptista was Frank Caprio’s deputy campaign manager and finance director in Caprio’s 2010 run for governor. Baptista also worked for Raimondo serving as her finance director in 2011, providing the treasurer with consulting and fundraising services.
J.B. Poersch, Managing Director at SKDKnickerbocker
J.B. Poersch, Managing Director at SKDKnickerbocker in Washington, D.C. is no stranger to Rhode Island politics. A Providence College graduate, Poersch served previously as U.S. Senator Jack Reed’s Chief of Staff from 1996-2004 and previously while Reed served as U.S. Representative from 1990 -1996.
Poersch is credited with helping to lead Democrats to a takeover of the Senate in 2006, achieving a 60 vote super majority in 2008 and retaining the majority in 2010, while serving as Executive Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) from 2005-2011.
Bill Knapp, SKDKnickerbocker Senior Media Strategist
Bill Knapp has served as a senior media strategist to five U.S. presidential campaigns, including serving as a member of President Obama’s 2008 national media team. In 1996, Knapp was the leader of the Clinton-Gore and Democratic National Committee (DNC) creative teams. Knapp has also worked on several high profile mayoral campaigns, including Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s 2001, 2005 and 2009 campaigns.
Frederick S. Yang of Hart Research Associates
Also out of D.C., Frederick S. Yang has been hired on as Taveras’ pollster. A partner with the Garin Hart Yang Research Group and senior vice president with Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc, Yang has worked on several gubernatorial and senate campaigns.
Mission Control,Inc.
Mission Control, Inc. of Connecticut has been hired to handle all campaign mailings. The company works primarily with Democratic and Progressive campaigns.
Taveras’ campaign war chest as of December 31, 2012 showed a balance of $412,833.70.
