Paul Bennecke

Last updated

Paul N. Bennecke (born 1978) is an American political consultant for candidates of the Republican Party and partner in the Atlanta-based public-affairs firm, Connect South. [1] He is the former executive director of the Republican Governors Association (RGA). [2] He was appointed to that position in December 2014 and ended his term on December 31, 2018. Previously, he served as deputy executive director and political director of the RGA from January 2007 to January 2011 and led two US Senate campaigns for David Perdue.

Contents

Early years and Georgia GOP takeover

Bennecke was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended Dalton State College before transferring to the University of Georgia. [3] At age 21, he was selected as an alternate delegate to the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. [4] At age 23, he served as political director for the campaign to elect St. Sen. Sonny Perdue to the Georgia Governorship. Perdue won despite being heavily outspent by incumbent Democrat Roy Barnes. Subsequently, he was named political director and later executive director of the Georgia Republican Party, serving under chairman Alec Poitevint. [5] During this 2003-06 period at the Georgia GOP, Republicans seized control of the State House of Representatives (a net gain of 34 seats) and the State Senate (a net gain of eight seats). The party also elected a Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State, as well as re-elected Perdue in 2006, the first Republican in 134 years to serve as Governor.

RGA - Partnership with Ayers, 2007-10

Throughout these years, Bennecke had worked with Nick Ayers, Perdue's 2006 campaign manager. [6] Perdue was elected to a one-year stint as RGA Chairman, and he named Ayers as executive director and Bennecke as political director (later given the additional title of deputy executive director). [7] The two young Georgians conceived an unprecedented four-year plan to professionalize the committee's operation and implement a long-range strategy, leading up to the 2010 midterm elections, when 37 Governors would be elected. [8]

Their plan was accepted by the governors, Ayers, and Bennecke served through four gubernatorial cycles encompassing all 50 states. [9] When the two began at RGA, Republicans were reeling from a terrible 2006 cycle and held only 22 statehouses. When they left in early 2011, the GOP held 29 Governorships, a net gain of seven (including Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Virginia). Bennecke oversaw a budget totaling $35 million in 2007–09, which rose to more than $100 million for 2010 alone. [10]

Independent consulting, 2011-14

In the intervening years (2011–14), Bennecke founded his own political consulting firm (Red Clay Strategies), and also joined longtime friend and colleague Tony Simon at the Atlanta-based public-affairs firm, Connect South. [11] In November 2013, Connect South affiliated itself with the Mississippi-based Capitol Resources LLC, whose partners include Henry Barbour. [12] Their clients have included Fortune 500 companies, as well as the MARTA Board of Directors, the Georgia Retail Assn., and the Municipal Gas Assn. of Georgia. [1] He also formed Jenson Strategic Partners LLC in 2013. [13]

Bennecke spent much of 2011 in Virginia, where he directed a PAC affiliated with Governor Bob McDonnell in its mission to regain control of the Virginia State Senate. The GOP scored a net gain of two seats that November, achieving a 20–20 tie (allowing Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling to cast tiebreaking votes in favor of the GOP for the next two years).

Continuing his work in the Old Dominion, Bennecke in March 2012 announced the formation of a federal SuperPAC, Independence Virginia PAC, whose sole purpose was to aid the bid of George F. Allen to the U.S. Senate. [14] Allen ultimately lost his bid to Democrat Tim Kaine; Independence Virginia PAC spent $4.9 million to aid the Republican. [13] Bennecke also worked for the independent America 360 Committee in Massachusetts to aid Sen. Scott Brown in his re-election effort; he was defeated by Democrat Elizabeth Warren. [13] Bennecke's close cooperation in both races with Las Vegas billionaire GOP activist Sheldon Adelson was noted.

Republican setbacks in the 2013 Virginia statewide elections gave Democrats control of the State Senate through the ascension of Ralph Northam to the Lieutenant Governorship. Bennecke directed the campaign of B. Wayne Coleman to succeed Northam in the Democratic-leaning, Norfolk-based 6th District, [15] falling short by 11 votes after a lengthy recount in January 2014. [16] Persisting after the Coleman defeat months before, he directed [17] the successful August 2014 special-election campaign of Ben Chafin to the Virginia State Senate, which returned complete control of the General Assembly to the Republicans. [18]

Also in 2013 and for all of 2014, he served as general consultant to the David Perdue campaign for U.S. Senate in Georgia, guiding it to success through three hotly contested primary, runoff, and general elections. His 2014 independent-expenditure efforts aided winning candidates in Illinois and Tennessee; further, Bennecke was hired to direct the RGA's IE campaigns in support of GOP gubernatorial nominees in Massachusetts, Kansas, Idaho, and Georgia (all of whom were elected that November). [19]

RGA Executive Director, 2015-2018

Bennecke's initial year as RGA Executive Director, 2015, saw a win in Kentucky (by outsider Matt Bevin) and an unexpected loss in Louisiana, as Senator David Vitter flamed out in scandal after a contentious all-party primary, and failed to recover.

The follow-up in 2016 was the challenge of a presidential year when Democrats typically swell the voting electorate and the wild card of the Donald Trump candidacy. RGA raised $60.7 million in cash—the most ever for a presidential year (besting the previous records from 2008 and 2012). [20] Bennecke's RGA helped winning candidates take governorships in Missouri, New Hampshire, and Vermont from the Democrats while holding Indiana (vacated suddenly in July by Mike Pence). They suffered a net loss only in North Carolina (which went to a recount). The result was 33 Republican Governors, the most for the party since 1922, and one short of the record.

For the 2018 cycle, the RGA raised and spent a record $180 million when 38 gubernatorial elections were up. RGA won 20 of the 36 states in 2018 including battleground contests in Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, and Arizona. Despite huge headwinds for the GOP, unprecedented funding from democratic aligned groups, and a record number of open-seat and incumbent candidates; the RGA successfully held on to a majority of the states.

Return to Georgia

Bennecke returned to Atlanta full-time after the 2018 cycle, resuming his work at Connect South. In April 2020, it was announced that he had again taken the job of general consultant to the David Perdue Senate campaign (same as he held in 2014). [21] Perdue ultimately lost the runoff to Jon Ossoff in January 2021, after leading (though without a majority) in the November 2020 general election.

In August 2021, Bennecke and Ayers declined to sign on to the prospective Georgia Senate candidacy of ex-football player Herschel Walker. [22]

Personal life

Bennecke lives in Atlanta with his wife, the former Jennifer (Jen) Englert, and their three sons. Under Gov. Sonny Perdue, she served as the top assistant to Georgia First Lady Mary Perdue, as executive director of the Georgia Children's Trust Fund, and finally as executive director of the Governor's Office for Children and Families (GOCF). [23] She was reappointed to the GOCF post by Governor Nathan Deal in 2011 but resigned that fall after the birth of their first child.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republican Governors Association</span> Organization of U.S. Republican governors

The Republican Governors Association (RGA) is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1961, consisting of U.S. state and territorial Republican governors. Its primary objective is to help elect and support Republican governors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Republican Party</span> Georgia affiliate of the Republican Party

The Georgia Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in the U.S. state of Georgia and one of the two major political parties. It is currently the dominant party in the state and is chaired by Joshua McKoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Governors Association</span> Organization of U.S. Democratic governors

The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Democratic Party. The mission of the organization is to provide party support to the election and re-election of Democratic gubernatorial candidates. The DGA's Republican counterpart is the Republican Governors Association. The DGA is not directly affiliated with the non-partisan National Governors Association.

Christopher Joseph LaCivita is an American political consultant and partner in FP1 Strategies, a national public-affairs and campaign firm. He is a senior advisor to Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Ayers</span> American political strategist (born 1982)

James Nicholas Ayers is an American political strategist and consultant who served as Chief of Staff to Vice President Mike Pence between July 2017 and January 2019. He had previously served as national chairman for Pence's vice-presidential campaign in 2016, and as the former executive director of the Republican Governors Association from 2007 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Virginia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2013 Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2013, to elect the governor of Virginia. The incumbent governor, Republican Bob McDonnell, was not eligible to run for re-election due to term limits established by the Virginia Constitution. Virginia is the only state that prohibits its governor from serving immediate successive terms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 United States Senate election in Georgia</span>

The 2014 United States Senate election in Georgia was held on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Georgia, concurrently with the election of the Governor of Georgia, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states, to the United States House of Representatives, and to various other state and local offices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Cox</span>

Phil Cox is an American long-time political operative, having served as the campaign manager or senior strategist to more than one hundred campaigns and super-pacs for Congress, Governor, U.S. Senate, and President. He is co-founder of 50 State, a bipartisan, state-focused government affairs firm, co-founder of GuidePostStrategies, a federal government affairs firm, Chairman of IMGE, a digital marketing firm, and partner at P2, a public affairs firm. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia, and lives in McLean, Virginia, with his wife and two children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry McAuliffe 2013 gubernatorial campaign</span> Former political campaign in Virginia

The Terry McAuliffe gubernatorial campaign of 2013 began when Terry McAuliffe, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, launched his candidacy for Governor of Virginia in a bid to win the 2013 gubernatorial election. His candidacy was formally announced on November 8, 2012 through an email to his supporters. On April 2, 2013, The Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) certified that McAuliffe was the only candidate to file for the June primary, and was therefore the Democratic nominee. On November 5, 2013 McAuliffe was elected Governor of Virginia with 47.75% of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Perdue</span> American politician & businessman (born 1949)

David Alfred Perdue Jr. is an American politician and business executive who served as a United States senator from Georgia from 2015 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Perdue was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States Senate elections</span>

The 2020 United States Senate elections were held on November 3, 2020, with the 33 class 2 seats of the Senate contested in regular elections. Of these, 21 were held by Republicans, and 12 by Democrats. The winners were elected to 6-year terms from January 3, 2021, to January 3, 2027. Two special elections for seats held by Republicans were also held in conjunction with the general elections: one in Arizona, to fill the vacancy created by John McCain's death in 2018; and one in Georgia, following Johnny Isakson's resignation in 2019. These elections ran concurrently with the 2020 United States presidential election in which incumbent president Donald Trump lost to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia</span>

The 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia was held on November 3, 2020, and on January 5, 2021, to elect the Class II member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Georgia. Democrat Jon Ossoff defeated incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue in the runoff election. The general election was held concurrently with the 2020 presidential election, as well as with other elections to the Senate, elections to the U.S. House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Ossoff</span> American politician and filmmaker (born 1987)

Thomas Jonathan Ossoff is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Georgia since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Ossoff was previously a documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States Senate election in Georgia</span>

The 2022 United States Senate election in Georgia was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the U.S. Senate to represent the state of Georgia. Incumbent Democratic senator Raphael Warnock won his first full term in office, defeating Republican former football player Herschel Walker. Under Georgia's two-round system, Warnock was re-elected in a runoff election on December 6 after neither candidate received over 50% of the vote on November 8. Warnock's win was the only statewide victory for Democrats in Georgia in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States Senate election in Arizona</span>

The 2022 United States Senate election in Arizona was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia</span>

The 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia was held on November 3, 2020, and on January 5, 2021, to elect the Class III member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Georgia. Democrat Raphael Warnock defeated appointed incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler. The first round of the election was held on November 3, 2020; however, no candidate received a majority of the vote, so the top two candidates—Warnock and Loeffler—advanced to a runoff on January 5, 2021, which Warnock won narrowly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Georgia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 Georgia gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Georgia. Incumbent Republican governor Brian Kemp won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams in a rematch. Abrams conceded on election night. The primary occurred on May 24, 2022. Kemp was sworn in for a second term on January 9, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Loeffler</span> American businesswoman and politician (born 1970)

Kelly Lynn Loeffler is an American businesswoman and politician who served as a United States senator from Georgia from 2020 to 2021. Loeffler was chief executive officer (CEO) of Bakkt, a subsidiary of commodity and financial service provider Intercontinental Exchange, of which her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, is CEO. She is a former co-owner of the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Loeffler is a member of the Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Georgia. It coincided with various other statewide elections, including for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and Governor of Georgia. Georgia is one of 21 states that elects its lieutenant governor separately from its governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Virginia Senate election</span>

The 2023 Virginia Senate election was held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, concurrently with elections for the Virginia House of Delegates, to elect senators to all 40 seats in the Senate of Virginia for the 163rd and 164th Virginia Assembly. Nomination primaries held through the Department of Elections were held June 20, 2023. These were the first elections held following redistricting as a result of the 2020 census. The Democrats retained control of the Senate.

References

  1. 1 2 "Connect South". Connectsouth.com. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "RGA picks Bennecke for executive director slot". Politico.com.
  3. ↑ "Ringgold, Georgia (GA) Political Contributions by Individuals - Donations to Congress, local, or national races, Republican or Democrat and other candidates". City-data.com.
  4. ↑ "CNN Transcript - Newsroom/World View: NEWSROOM for May 23, 2000 - May 23, 2000". Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  5. ↑ Sen. Eric Johnson. "THE GEORGIA REPUBLICAN PARTY : 1856 – 2006: 150 years to Victory" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  6. ↑ "Young Nick Ayers has full-grown plans for a Republican return to the White House". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 2017-08-05. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  7. ↑ "Perdue campaign manager to lead RGA". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  8. ↑ Martin, Jonathan. "Rick Perry to lead RGA". Politico.com. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  9. ↑ Silverman, Amanda (2 November 2009). "'He Hasn't Lost Anything Yet'". Newrepublic.com. Retrieved 25 November 2021– via The New Republic.
  10. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2011-02-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ↑ "Paul Bennecke | Capitol Resources LLC". Archived from the original on 2015-01-29. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  12. ↑ "Capitol Resources Expands into Georgia | Capitol Resources LLC". Archived from the original on 2015-01-29. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  13. 1 2 3 "Super PAC Donor Adelson Targeting New Senate Race for 2014? | Political MoneyLine Blog". Archived from the original on 2015-01-29. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  14. ↑ "George Allen gets a super PAC". Politico .
  15. ↑ "The Virginia Public Access Project". Vpap.org. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  16. ↑ "The Virginia Public Access Project". Vpap.org. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  17. ↑ "The Virginia Public Access Project". Vpap.org. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  18. ↑ "Va. Republicans take victory lap after sealing control of the General Assembly". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  19. ↑ "RGA picks Bennecke for executive director slot". Politico.com. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  20. ↑ "RGA Announces Record $61 Million Raised In 2016". Rga.org. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  21. ↑ Madelaine Pisani, The Hotline, April 15, 2020, "Perdue Brought in $1.6M in First Quarter"
  22. ↑ Greg Bluestein, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 6, 2021, "The Jolt: Arthur Blank teams with voting groups to forge 'Democracy Class Atlanta'"
  23. ↑ "March". Archived from the original on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.