Steve Jarding
Encyclopedia
Steve Jarding is an American
political consultant from Rapid City
, South Dakota
. Jarding has managed and worked on both statewide and national campaigns for the Democratic Party
, including winning Senate
races and a winning gubernatorial
race.
. He received a master's degree and pursued a PhD in government from the University of Oklahoma
, where he later served as a fellow at its center for congressional studies.
In 2004, Jarding was selected to serve as a fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics
. He is currently a lecturer in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School
, where he teaches courses on political strategy and campaigns.
Tom Daschle
. He also worked on the unsuccessful 1988 and 1992 presidential campaigns of former U.S. Senator from Nebraska
Bob Kerrey
. In the 1990s, he served as Communication Director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
(DSCC).
In 2001, Jarding managed Mark Warner
's victorious Virginia gubernatorial
race, along with fellow political operative Dave "Mudcat" Saunders. This race was featured heavily in a profile of Jarding by Matt Bai
that ran in the New York Times Magazine
in 2002.
In 2006, Jarding was a senior adviser to the winning Virginia U.S. Senate campaign of former Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb
, who defeated the incumbent Republican
governor George Allen
.
In 2008, Jarding was the campaign manager on the winning campaign of South Dakota U.S. Senator Tim Johnson.
voters" (referred to as NASCAR Dads by other analysts). To rectify the problem, the winning gubernatorial campaign for Mark Warner sponsored a NASCAR team and a bluegrass
band to convey to these voters that Warner did not condescend to them and was not the stereotypical Democrat. Jarding and Saunders spelled out this thesis in their 2006 book Foxes in the Henhouse.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political consultant from Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Jarding has managed and worked on both statewide and national campaigns for the Democratic Party
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...
, including winning Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
races and a winning gubernatorial
Governor (United States)
In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
race.
Education and Teaching
Jarding graduated with a degree in government from the University of South DakotaUniversity of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota ', the state’s oldest university, was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, USD is home to South Dakota's only medical school and law school. USD is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and its current...
. He received a master's degree and pursued a PhD in government from the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, where he later served as a fellow at its center for congressional studies.
In 2004, Jarding was selected to serve as a fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics
Harvard Institute of Politics
Harvard Institute of Politics was created to serve as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy and inspire Harvard students into careers in politics and public service, much as President Kennedy was inspired during his days as a student at Harvard. The IOP also brings together the academic...
. He is currently a lecturer in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
, where he teaches courses on political strategy and campaigns.
Campaigns
In the 1980s, Jarding served as Executive Director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, and on the first Senate campaign of former Senate majority leaderParty leaders of the United States Senate
The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders are two United States Senators who are elected by the party conferences that hold the majority and the minority respectively. These leaders serve as the chief Senate spokespeople for their parties and manage and schedule the legislative and executive...
Tom Daschle
Tom Daschle
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
. He also worked on the unsuccessful 1988 and 1992 presidential campaigns of former U.S. Senator from Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
Bob Kerrey
Bob Kerrey
Joseph Robert "Bob" Kerrey was the 35th Governor of Nebraska from 1983 to 1987 and a U.S. Senator from Nebraska . Having served in the Vietnam War, earning the Medal of Honor for his actions, he moved into politics. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992...
. In the 1990s, he served as Communication Director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States Senate. It is the only organization solely dedicated to electing Democrats to the United States Senate. The DSCC's current chair is Sen. Patty Murray, who succeeded Sen. Robert Menendez following...
(DSCC).
In 2001, Jarding managed 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...
's victorious Virginia gubernatorial
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
race, along with fellow political operative Dave "Mudcat" Saunders. This race was featured heavily in a profile of Jarding by Matt Bai
Matt Bai
Matt Bai writes the “Political Times” column for the New York Times and is a frequent contributor for the Times Magazine, where he covered both the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns. Bai often explores issues of generational change in American politics and society...
that ran in the New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
in 2002.
In 2006, Jarding was a senior adviser to the winning Virginia U.S. Senate campaign of former Secretary of the Navy 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....
, who defeated the incumbent Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
governor 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...
.
In 2008, Jarding was the campaign manager on the winning campaign of South Dakota U.S. Senator Tim Johnson.
Political Strategy
Jarding is notable in Democratic political operative circles for his focus on white male voters in the South and Midwest that he believes the Democratic Party has needlessly ceded to their Republican counterparts. According to Jarding and Saunders, Democrats have proven distinctly incompetent at expressing their common values with "BubbaBubba
In American usage, bubba is a relationship nickname formed from brother and given to boys, especially eldest male siblings, to indicate their role in a family. For some boys and men, bubba is used so pervasively that it replaces the given name...
voters" (referred to as NASCAR Dads by other analysts). To rectify the problem, the winning gubernatorial campaign for Mark Warner sponsored a NASCAR team and a bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
band to convey to these voters that Warner did not condescend to them and was not the stereotypical Democrat. Jarding and Saunders spelled out this thesis in their 2006 book Foxes in the Henhouse.