Terry Nelson
Encyclopedia
Terry A. Nelson is a consultant and Republican
strategist in the United States
. He was the political director of the Bush-Cheney 2004
campaign. In early 2006, Nelson was hired as a "senior adviser" to Senator John McCain
; in December 2006 McCain's presidential exploratory committee
said that Nelson was McCain's pick to be his national campaign manager, should McCain choose to turn his exploring into a full-blown run for the White House.
. He graduated in 1994 from the University of Iowa
with a B.S. in Political Science
.
Nelson, his wife Marci, and their three children live in Falls Church, Virginia
.
, two years before graduating from college, and Nussle's 1994 campaign. From 1995 to 1996 he was a field representative for the National Republican Congressional Committee
(NRCC). In 1997, he became the majority staff director of the Republican caucus in the Iowa state senate.
From January 2002 to July 2003, Nelson was deputy chief of staff of the Republican National Committee
(RNC). In that position, he has been mentioned in two criminal cases:
presidential campaign, a position he held for the next year and a half.
In early 2006, Nelson was hired as a "senior adviser" to John McCain
's Straight Talk America
political action committee. In late 2005, Nelson had told the National Journal that he wouldn't make a decision about which Republican campaign to join until 2007 at the earliest, saying "I'm currently enjoying my private life and don't have immediate plans to change that."
In December 2006, McCain's presidential exploratory committee said that Nelson was McCain's pick to be his national campaign manager, should McCain choose to turn his exploring into a full-blown run for the White House.
On July 10, 2007, Nelson resigned as national campaign manager for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19694078/ The sudden departure of both Nelson and longtime McCain adviser John Weaver
came after months of increasing campaign problems. McCain, after first insisting that neither man had been fired, called their departure "a consensus decision."
(AJS), a Virginia-based group that the American Insurance Association helped launch. AJS takes out attack ads against liberal and moderate candidates nationwide without disclosing its political contributions or expenditures.
, to create grassroots campaigns for corporations and interest groups. The firm’s website says it can teach clients how to "increase your PAC fundraising" and ensure "compliance with campaign finance laws." One of the employees of the firm is Chris LaCivita, who helped design Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's anti-Kerry ads.
Working Families for Wal-Mart
, a group with significant funding from Wal-Mart
, has employed the Crosslink firm. In April 2006, temporary workers hired by Crosslink were signing up shoppers to become members of the "Working Families" group, a campaign intended to eventually go nationwide.
In May 2006, Crosslinks Strategy Group became an operating unit of Mercury Public Affairs, with Nelson becoming a partner and running the firm's Washington, D.C. office. The firm describes itself as "a full-service strategic communications firm" whose political division "has been involved in successful political campaigns in over thirty states". It is part of the Omnicom Group
, a global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company.
In October 2006, Wal-Mart publicly ended its contract with Crosslink Strategy, after significant controversy erupted regarding Nelson's involvement with an allegedly racist campaign ad mocking Democrat Harold Ford of Tennessee
.
announced that Nelson had been hired "as a consultant in the firm’s emerging Government Relations Practice". As of September 2006, the firm's website (www.akerman.com) no longer listed him as a member of the firm.
had hired Nelson to run an ad campaign to attack Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate seats in the November general election, featuring negative information that researchers had or would dig up on Democrats.
In October 2006, Nelson was revealed as the second producer, with lead producer Scott Howell
, of the attack ad
used against Democratic candidate Harold Ford Jr. in which a white woman said that she had met Ford at a Playboy
party. The ad concluded with the woman speaking to the camera and saying with a wink, "Harold, call me." It was criticized as racist by the NAACP and others.
Coverage of the controversy characterized Nelson's partner Howell as a "protegé" of Karl Rove
. After Jesse Jackson
and others called on Walmart to fire Nelson, Walmart asked for and received Nelson's resignation.
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...
strategist in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was the political director of the Bush-Cheney 2004
George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2004
This article is about the presidential campaign of George W. Bush, the former President of the United States and winner of the 2004 Presidential Election. See George W. Bush for a detailed biography and information about his full presidency, and George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000 for a...
campaign. In early 2006, Nelson was hired as a "senior adviser" to Senator 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....
; in December 2006 McCain's presidential exploratory committee
Exploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...
said that Nelson was McCain's pick to be his national campaign manager, should McCain choose to turn his exploring into a full-blown run for the White House.
Personal
Nelson is a native of Marshalltown, IowaMarshalltown, Iowa
Marshalltown is a city in and the county seat of Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,552 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 26,009 population in the 2000 census. -History:...
. He graduated in 1994 from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
with a B.S. in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
Nelson, his wife Marci, and their three children live in Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
.
State and regional
Nelson managed the 1992 campaign of U.S. Representative Jim NussleJim Nussle
James Allen "Jim" Nussle is an American politician and was the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Nussle was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2007...
, two years before graduating from college, and Nussle's 1994 campaign. From 1995 to 1996 he was a field representative for the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
(NRCC). In 1997, he became the majority staff director of the Republican caucus in the Iowa state senate.
National positions at NRCC
In 2000, Nelson became the political director of the NRCC.From January 2002 to July 2003, Nelson was deputy chief of staff of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
(RNC). In that position, he has been mentioned in two criminal cases:
- Nelson was the superior of James TobinJames 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"...
, the New England political director for the RNC, who was convicted in late 2005 for his role in a scheme to jam phone lines in New Hampshire in November 20022002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandalThe 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...
to block Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts. Nelson was on the government's witness list to testify at Tobin's trial, but he was never called to testify at the trial.
- As of 2006, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLayTom DeLayThomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
and two others face criminal charges of violating a Texas law that prohibits the use of corporate money to fund candidates. The indictment charges they wrote a check to the RNC from a PAC controlled by DeLay and had the RNC send the same amount of money to the candidates, in order to get around that law. According to the indictment, the request and proposal to do this was made to Nelson in September 2002, and the check and list of candidates to be funded was given to Nelson two days later.
Presidential campaigns
In July 2003, Nelson became the political director of the Bush-Cheney 2004George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2004
This article is about the presidential campaign of George W. Bush, the former President of the United States and winner of the 2004 Presidential Election. See George W. Bush for a detailed biography and information about his full presidency, and George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000 for a...
presidential campaign, a position he held for the next year and a half.
In early 2006, Nelson was hired as a "senior adviser" to 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....
's Straight Talk America
Straight Talk America
Straight Talk America is a political action committee and intercampaign outreach vehicle created by Sen. John McCain. Originally formed during McCain’s 2000 bid for the Republican presidential nomination, it was revived again in 2005, and then retired in 2007 as he announced his formal bid for the...
political action committee. In late 2005, Nelson had told the National Journal that he wouldn't make a decision about which Republican campaign to join until 2007 at the earliest, saying "I'm currently enjoying my private life and don't have immediate plans to change that."
In December 2006, McCain's presidential exploratory committee said that Nelson was McCain's pick to be his national campaign manager, should McCain choose to turn his exploring into a full-blown run for the White House.
On July 10, 2007, Nelson resigned as national campaign manager for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19694078/ The sudden departure of both Nelson and longtime McCain adviser John Weaver
John Weaver (political consultant)
John Weaver is an American political consultant best known for his work on the John McCain presidential campaigns of 2000 and 2008. In between, he worked for a time for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.-Biography:...
came after months of increasing campaign problems. McCain, after first insisting that neither man had been fired, called their departure "a consensus decision."
Dawson McCarthy Nelson Media
In 2001, Nelson co-founded the Republican media shop Dawson McCarthy Nelson Media (DMNM), a communication and advertising firm that develops strategy, messages, and advertising for Republican candidates. One of the firm's clients was Americans for Job SecurityAmericans for Job Security
Americans for Job Security is a Virginia-based 501 group that OpenSecrets.org describes as "a pro-Republican, pro-business organization" headed by David Carney. The American Insurance Association launched the group with $1 million in seed funding in 1997...
(AJS), a Virginia-based group that the American Insurance Association helped launch. AJS takes out attack ads against liberal and moderate candidates nationwide without disclosing its political contributions or expenditures.
Crosslink Strategy Group and Mercury Public Affairs
In 2005, Nelson and his partners at DMNM started another firm, Crosslink Strategy GroupCrosslink 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....
, to create grassroots campaigns for corporations and interest groups. The firm’s website says it can teach clients how to "increase your PAC fundraising" and ensure "compliance with campaign finance laws." One of the employees of the firm is Chris LaCivita, who helped design Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's anti-Kerry ads.
Working Families for Wal-Mart
Working Families for Wal-Mart
Working Families for Walmart is an advocacy group formed by Walmart and the Edelman public relations firm on December 20, 2005. It has been used to praise Wal-Mart in a show of opposition to union-funded groups such as Wake Up Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart Watch. The group is financially supported by...
, a group with significant funding from Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, has employed the Crosslink firm. In April 2006, temporary workers hired by Crosslink were signing up shoppers to become members of the "Working Families" group, a campaign intended to eventually go nationwide.
In May 2006, Crosslinks Strategy Group became an operating unit of Mercury Public Affairs, with Nelson becoming a partner and running the firm's Washington, D.C. office. The firm describes itself as "a full-service strategic communications firm" whose political division "has been involved in successful political campaigns in over thirty states". It is part of the Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group is a holding company whose agencies provide marketing and communications services in the disciplines of advertising, customer relationship management , strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and...
, a global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company.
In October 2006, Wal-Mart publicly ended its contract with Crosslink Strategy, after significant controversy erupted regarding Nelson's involvement with an allegedly racist campaign ad mocking Democrat Harold Ford of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Akerman Senterfitt
In March 2005, the Florida law firm Akerman SenterfittAkerman Senterfitt
Akerman Senterfitt is a large law firm, BigLaw, based in Miami, Florida. It was founded in 1920 and has grown to become one of the largest in the United States. In 2008, the National Law Journal ranked the firm as 92nd largest in the U.S. by number of attorneys, and the second-largest...
announced that Nelson had been hired "as a consultant in the firm’s emerging Government Relations Practice". As of September 2006, the firm's website (www.akerman.com) no longer listed him as a member of the firm.
2006 Tennessee Senate election
In September 2006, the Washington Post reported that the Republican National CommitteeRepublican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
had hired Nelson to run an ad campaign to attack Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate seats in the November general election, featuring negative information that researchers had or would dig up on Democrats.
In October 2006, Nelson was revealed as the second producer, with lead producer Scott Howell
Scott Howell
Herbert Weston Scott Howell III is an American conservative political consultant, whose recent clients include Meg Whitman and Rudy Giuliani.-Personal:Married in 1994 to Julie L. Feaster). They reside in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and have two children....
, of the attack ad
Attack ad
In political campaigns, an attack ad is an advertisement whose message is meant as a personal attack against another candidate or political party...
used against Democratic candidate Harold Ford Jr. in which a white woman said that she had met Ford at a Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
party. The ad concluded with the woman speaking to the camera and saying with a wink, "Harold, call me." It was criticized as racist by the NAACP and others.
Coverage of the controversy characterized Nelson's partner Howell as a "protegé" of Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
. After Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
and others called on Walmart to fire Nelson, Walmart asked for and received Nelson's resignation.