Chris LaCivita
Encyclopedia
Christopher J. LaCivita is an American political consultant, and president of the firm Advancing Strategies LLC. He was formerly with Crosslink Strategy
, a conservative lobbying and political consulting firm founded by former John McCain
advisor Terry Nelson
. LaCivita is often mentioned for his role as media advisor to the Swift Boat Veterans, an independent-expenditure group active in the 2004 presidential election.
LaCivita was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, but grew up in the Richmond, Virginia area, graduating from Midlothian High School. He received his bachelor's degree in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University
in 1989. He joined the US Marine Corps and was awarded a Purple Heart
for wounds received while serving in the Persian Gulf War
in 1991. Afterwards, he taught part-time at Regent University
.
He left state service in 1995 to help run Allen's political action committee, assisting legislative races that year (wherein the GOP captured a tie in the State Senate). LaCivita was named executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia
in 1996, after Allen's allies won control of the RPV. LaCivita ran the party as James S. Gilmore succeeded Allen as Governor in 1997, acting as overseer of internal partisan squabbles, but going on later to capture control of both houses of the General Assembly
in 1999.
By then, LaCivita, and former gubernatorial chief of staff Jay Timmons, were guiding Allen's campaign for U.S. Senate, ultimately defeating two-term Democratic incumbent Chuck Robb
with 52% in a hard-fought contest in November 2000..
In the fall of 2001, LaCivita was drafted in the final two months to shore up the losing campaign of Attorney General Mark Earley
for Governor against Mark Warner
. As Fred Barnes
wrote, "Earley wasted the summer and didn't find a message until September -- after party officials dispatched Chris LaCivita, the political director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
, to run his campaign. The message, it turns out, is a hardy perennial for Republicans: taxes." Earley, down by 13 points in mid-summer, closed the gap late in the campaign eventually lost by five points, 52%-47%, to the millionaire Democrat.
During the 2002 midterm election cycle, LaCivita served the political director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
, under the chairmanship of Senator Bill Frist
. That November, the GOP scored a net gain of two Senate seats, recapturing control of the upper chamber.
While at the NRSC, LaCivita was the direct supervisor of James Tobin
, another former employee of the DCI Group. In 2005, Tobin was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for his role in the 2002 NH phone jamming scandal
for his activities during that campaign; LaCivita was on Tobin's witness list but never called. Democrats, who sought testimony from LaCivita for a civil suit tied to the same incident, recently settled that civil suit out of court. Tobin's conviction was overturned on appeal.
In 2003, LaCivita served as President of Progress for America
, later giving that role to former DCI employee Brian McCabe while LaCivita became its executive director.
LaCivita at one time worked for the Republican political consulting firm DCI Group
, which had close ties both to Progress for America
and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. During the 2004 US Presidential campaign
, LaCivita served as consultant and principal media advisor to the Swift Boat Veterans, writing and producing the group's memorable (and controversial) commercials in association with Rick Reed. At the same time, LaCivita consulted for the NRSC, now headed by former client George Allen
, as it scored a net gain of four Senate seats in the November 2004 general elections.
LaCivita continued his independent-expenditure work in 2005, producing ads in support of GOP Attorney General Jerry Kilgore in his unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Virginia.
In 2005 and 2006, LaCivita was senior strategist for Vern Buchanan
, who won a hotly contested Republican primary, then the general election in Florida's 13th congressional district
by less than 400 votes. LaCivita also ran an independent organization (Floridians for a Better and Brighter Future) during that state's gubernatorial primary election in 2005-06, whose target was former Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher
. LaCivita's favored candidate, Charlie Crist
, won the party’s nomination, and was subsequently elected Florida’s governor.
LaCivita also served as general consultant to businessman Bob Corker
's successful primary and general-election campaigns for the U.S. Senate from Tennessee, succeeding his former boss Bill Frist
. These successes were offset by the narrow defeat that November of George Allen
for re-election in LaCivita's home state of Virginia by Democrat
Jim Webb
, a margin of 9,329 votes.
Interviewed in March, 2007, LaCivita told reporters that the GOP could silence the press uproar over the sudden dismissal of eight US Attorneys by promoting stories about the most extreme among anti-Bush activists. "When are we going to make it about Code Pink
and the rest of the liberal weirdos controlling the Democrat agenda?" he asked.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, LaCivita and Tony Feather
launched a new 501(c)4 issues advocacy group, the American Issues Project
, after a series of meetings with other Swift Boat donors. In August 2008, AIP began airing ads in battleground states seeking to raise questions about Democratic Party presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama
's ties to former student radical William Ayers. The American Issues Project has a sole donor, Harold Simmons, an 87-year old Dallas billionaire who was also a principal donor, along with T. Boone Pickens, to the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth PAC. On October 10, 2008, a campaign finance watchdog group, Democracy 21, filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission about the group's alleged violations of election campaign law.
In 2009, LaCivita was the general strategist for State Senator Ken Cuccinelli
's successful bid for Attorney General of Virginia. He also guided Jeffrey McWaters to victory in a December special election for Virginia State Senate, occasioned by the departure of longtime incumbent Ken Stolle
in Virginia Beach.
In the summer of 2010, LaCivita returned to the NRSC
as its Political Director, the same post he'd held in 2002. Under his direction, the GOP scored a net gain of five Senate seats in the November 2010 general elections.
Throughout 2010, LaCivita consulted for several GOP congressional campaigns, most prominently that of State Senator Robert Hurt
who was elected in Virginia's 5th Congressional District
over Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello
. He also aided businessman Scott Rigell
in his successful bid for election in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District
over incumbent Glenn Nye
. But his client in Missouri's 3rd congressional district
, Ed Martin
, fell short in his bid to unseat Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan
.
LaCivita lives outside Richmond with his wife, Catherine, and their two children.
Crosslink Strategy
Crosslink Strategy is a conservative lobbying and political consulting firm founded in 2005 by Terry Nelson, a Republican political strategist formerly serving as a senior advisor to Senator John McCain....
, a conservative lobbying and political consulting firm founded by former John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
advisor Terry Nelson
Terry Nelson
Terry A. Nelson is a consultant and Republican strategist in the United States. He was the political director of the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign...
. LaCivita is often mentioned for his role as media advisor to the Swift Boat Veterans, an independent-expenditure group active in the 2004 presidential election.
LaCivita was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, but grew up in the Richmond, Virginia area, graduating from Midlothian High School. He received his bachelor's degree in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
in 1989. He joined the US Marine Corps and was awarded a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
for wounds received while serving in the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1991. Afterwards, he taught part-time at Regent University
Regent University
Regent University is a private coeducational interdenominational Christian university located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States. The school was founded by the American televangelist Pat Robertson in 1978 as Christian Broadcasting Network University. A satellite campus located in...
.
Political career
Active in Republican politics following his Gulf War service, LaCivita did field work for George F. Allen in central Virginia during his 1991 congressional campaign, then went with him to Capitol Hill, serving as a legislative assistant on foreign and defense policy. When Allen ran for governor in 1993, LaCivita organized in the Richmond area, Southside and central Virginia, then was appointed to serve as an assistant secretary of administration.He left state service in 1995 to help run Allen's political action committee, assisting legislative races that year (wherein the GOP captured a tie in the State Senate). LaCivita was named executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia
Republican Party of Virginia
The Republican Party of Virginia is the Virginia chapter of the Republican Party. It is based in the Richard D. Obenshain Center in Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia.- Organization and candidate selection :The State Party Plan...
in 1996, after Allen's allies won control of the RPV. LaCivita ran the party as James S. Gilmore succeeded Allen as Governor in 1997, acting as overseer of internal partisan squabbles, but going on later to capture control of both houses of the General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
in 1999.
By then, LaCivita, and former gubernatorial chief of staff Jay Timmons, were guiding Allen's campaign for U.S. Senate, ultimately defeating two-term Democratic incumbent Chuck Robb
Chuck Robb
Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb is an American politician. He served as the 64th Governor of Virginia from 1982 to 1986, and as a United States senator from 1989 until 2001. In 2004, he chaired the Iraq Intelligence Commission.-Early life:...
with 52% in a hard-fought contest in November 2000..
In the fall of 2001, LaCivita was drafted in the final two months to shore up the losing campaign of Attorney General Mark Earley
Mark Earley
Mark Lawrence Earley is an American politician. As a member of the Republican Party, he was elected to the Virginia State Senate and then as Attorney General of Virginia from 1998 to 2001. In 2001, he resigned as Attorney General to focus his time on the 2001 campaign for Governor of Virginia...
for Governor against Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
. As Fred Barnes
Fred Barnes (journalist)
Frederic W. Barnes is an American political commentator. He is the executive editor of the news publication The Weekly Standard and regularly appears on the Fox News Channel program Special Report with Bret Baier...
wrote, "Earley wasted the summer and didn't find a message until September -- after party officials dispatched Chris LaCivita, the political director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
National Republican Senatorial Committee
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee...
, to run his campaign. The message, it turns out, is a hardy perennial for Republicans: taxes." Earley, down by 13 points in mid-summer, closed the gap late in the campaign eventually lost by five points, 52%-47%, to the millionaire Democrat.
During the 2002 midterm election cycle, LaCivita served the political director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
National Republican Senatorial Committee
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee...
, under the chairmanship of Senator Bill Frist
Bill Frist
William Harrison "Bill" Frist, Sr. is an American physician, businessman, and politician. He began his career as an heir and major stockholder to the for-profit hospital chain of Hospital Corporation of America. Frist later served two terms as a Republican United States Senator representing...
. That November, the GOP scored a net gain of two Senate seats, recapturing control of the upper chamber.
While at the NRSC, LaCivita was the direct supervisor of James Tobin
James Tobin (political operative)
James Tobin was President George W. Bush's New England campaign chairman. He was convicted on December 15, 2005, of telephone harassment "for his part in a plot to jam the Democratic Party's phones on Election Day 2002"...
, another former employee of the DCI Group. In 2005, Tobin was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for his role in the 2002 NH phone jamming scandal
2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal
The 2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal involves the use of a telemarketing firm hired by that state's Republican Party for election tampering. The tampering involved using a call center to jam the phone lines of a Get Out the Vote operation...
for his activities during that campaign; LaCivita was on Tobin's witness list but never called. Democrats, who sought testimony from LaCivita for a civil suit tied to the same incident, recently settled that civil suit out of court. Tobin's conviction was overturned on appeal.
In 2003, LaCivita served as President of Progress for America
Progress For America
Progress for America and its affiliate Progress for America Voter Fund are national tax-exempt organizations in the United States. PFA was established in 2001 to support George W. Bush's "agenda for America"...
, later giving that role to former DCI employee Brian McCabe while LaCivita became its executive director.
LaCivita at one time worked for the Republican political consulting firm DCI Group
DCI Group
DCI Group is an American public relations, lobbying and business consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. The company was founded in 1996 as a grassroots consulting firm, and has since expanded its practice to become a public affairs company offering a range of services...
, which had close ties both to Progress for America
Progress For America
Progress for America and its affiliate Progress for America Voter Fund are national tax-exempt organizations in the United States. PFA was established in 2001 to support George W. Bush's "agenda for America"...
and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. During the 2004 US Presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, LaCivita served as consultant and principal media advisor to the Swift Boat Veterans, writing and producing the group's memorable (and controversial) commercials in association with Rick Reed. At the same time, LaCivita consulted for the NRSC, now headed by former client George Allen
George Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
, as it scored a net gain of four Senate seats in the November 2004 general elections.
LaCivita continued his independent-expenditure work in 2005, producing ads in support of GOP Attorney General Jerry Kilgore in his unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Virginia.
In 2005 and 2006, LaCivita was senior strategist for Vern Buchanan
Vern Buchanan
Vernon G. "Vern" Buchanan is the Congressman for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life and education:...
, who won a hotly contested Republican primary, then the general election in Florida's 13th congressional district
Florida's 13th congressional district
Florida's 13th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida that encompasses all of Sarasota, DeSoto, and Hardee counties and most of Manatee County except for a small northern coastal portion that is located in the neighboring 11th Congressional District...
by less than 400 votes. LaCivita also ran an independent organization (Floridians for a Better and Brighter Future) during that state's gubernatorial primary election in 2005-06, whose target was former Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher
Tom Gallagher
Tom Gallagher is an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida and a member of the Republican Party. Gallagher, a three-time candidate for Governor of Florida, holds the distinction of having served more years as an elected state official than any other individual in Florida history.-Early...
. LaCivita's favored candidate, Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
, won the party’s nomination, and was subsequently elected Florida’s governor.
LaCivita also served as general consultant to businessman Bob Corker
Bob Corker
Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South...
's successful primary and general-election campaigns for the U.S. Senate from Tennessee, succeeding his former boss Bill Frist
Bill Frist
William Harrison "Bill" Frist, Sr. is an American physician, businessman, and politician. He began his career as an heir and major stockholder to the for-profit hospital chain of Hospital Corporation of America. Frist later served two terms as a Republican United States Senator representing...
. These successes were offset by the narrow defeat that November of George Allen
George Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
for re-election in LaCivita's home state of Virginia by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, a margin of 9,329 votes.
Interviewed in March, 2007, LaCivita told reporters that the GOP could silence the press uproar over the sudden dismissal of eight US Attorneys by promoting stories about the most extreme among anti-Bush activists. "When are we going to make it about Code Pink
Code Pink
Code Pink: Women for Peace is an anti-war group that is mainly composed of women. It has regional offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C., and many more chapters in the U.S. as well as several in other countries...
and the rest of the liberal weirdos controlling the Democrat agenda?" he asked.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, LaCivita and Tony Feather
Tony Feather
Tony Feather is a Missouri-based American political consultant for the Republican National Committee and Republican candidates and campaign who specializes in direct voter contact. Feather is a co-founder, with fellow Republican Jeff Larson of FLSConnect, the leading Republican direct voter contact...
launched a new 501(c)4 issues advocacy group, the American Issues Project
American Issues Project
The American Issues Project is a political action group organized as a 501 nonprofit, so that it can engage in limited amounts of civic campaigning, but cannot legally advocate for or against candidates....
, after a series of meetings with other Swift Boat donors. In August 2008, AIP began airing ads in battleground states seeking to raise questions about Democratic Party presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's ties to former student radical William Ayers. The American Issues Project has a sole donor, Harold Simmons, an 87-year old Dallas billionaire who was also a principal donor, along with T. Boone Pickens, to the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth PAC. On October 10, 2008, a campaign finance watchdog group, Democracy 21, filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission about the group's alleged violations of election campaign law.
In 2009, LaCivita was the general strategist for State Senator Ken Cuccinelli
Ken Cuccinelli
Kenneth Thomas 'Ken' Cuccinelli II is a U.S. politician and the Attorney General of Virginia. From 2002 until January 16, 2010 he was a Republican member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 37th district in Fairfax County...
's successful bid for Attorney General of Virginia. He also guided Jeffrey McWaters to victory in a December special election for Virginia State Senate, occasioned by the departure of longtime incumbent Ken Stolle
Ken Stolle
Kenneth W. Stolle is an American politician of the Republican Party. He was a member of the Senate of Virginia from 1992 to 2010. He represented the 8th district in Virginia Beach. Stolle is currently the sheriff of Virginia Beach....
in Virginia Beach.
In the summer of 2010, LaCivita returned to the NRSC
National Republican Senatorial Committee
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee...
as its Political Director, the same post he'd held in 2002. Under his direction, the GOP scored a net gain of five Senate seats in the November 2010 general elections.
Throughout 2010, LaCivita consulted for several GOP congressional campaigns, most prominently that of State Senator Robert Hurt
Robert Hurt (Virginia politician)
Robert Hurt is the U.S. Representative for , serving since January 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Charlottesville to Southside and west to Bedford and Franklin counties. Prior to joining Congress, Hurt was a state senator and delegate, councilman and...
who was elected in Virginia's 5th Congressional District
Virginia's 5th congressional district
Virginia's fifth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Greene, Campbell, Bedford, Albermarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Buckingham, Cumberland, Appomattox, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Franklin, Henry,...
over Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello
Tom Perriello
Thomas Stuart Price "Tom" Perriello is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of Southside Virginia and stretches north to Charlottesville....
. He also aided businessman Scott Rigell
Scott Rigell
Edward Scott Rigell is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and business career:...
in his successful bid for election in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District
Virginia's 2nd congressional district
Virginia's second congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It encompasses all of Accomack and Northampton Counties and the City of Virginia Beach and parts of the cities of Norfolk and Hampton...
over incumbent Glenn Nye
Glenn Nye
Glenn Carlyle Nye III is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
. But his client in Missouri's 3rd congressional district
Missouri's 3rd congressional district
Missouri's third congressional district is in the eastern portion of the state. It includes much of southern St Louis City, much of southern St Louis County, and all of Jefferson County and St Genevieve County....
, Ed Martin
Ed Martin (Missouri politician)
Edward Martin Jr. was the 2010 Republican nominee for Missouri's 3rd congressional district. In the August 3, 2010 Republican primary, Martin received 63% of the vote; defeating 2 other candidates. After years of the being uncompetitive in Missouri's 3rd, the Republicans had a very good chance of...
, fell short in his bid to unseat Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan
Russ Carnahan
John Russell "Russ" Carnahan is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the southern third of the city of St. Louis and most of the southern St. Louis suburbs including most of Jefferson County and all of Ste. Genevieve County...
.
LaCivita lives outside Richmond with his wife, Catherine, and their two children.
External links
- Bio of LaCivita on his company's website Link is dead
- Media Matters, October 28, 2006, "NY Times failed to inform readers who GOP consultant (LaCivita) really is"
- NY Times August 25, 2004, Graph showing connection of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth to DCI Group via Chris LaCivita
- New York Sun, October 12, 2006, "Avalanche of Cash Is Set to Descend on Election Battle"
- NY Times October 28, 2006, "Virginia Senate Candidate Attacked Over His Novels"
- Washington Post describes LaCivita as former Marine
- Democrats sought to question LaCivita in civil suit
- National Review says LaCivita got Purple Heart
- Electing the President, 2004 - An Insiders View, by Kathleen Hall Jamieson - see page 184
- Race sent George Allen into the pits
- 2006 Senate race: Allen and Webb in near tie