Talent and Organization - Nevada

Four Republican presidential campaign organizations are working in Nevada in the lead up to the Feb. 4 caucuses (the Perry and Cain campaigns folded earlier).  Additionally the Obama campaign has been actively organizing in the state since June 2011.


updated February 2, 2012...individual pages updated more frequently

NATIONAL  |  IOWA  |  NEW HAMPSHIRE  |  SOUTH CAROLINA   |  FLORIDA   |  NEVADA

Cain
 Gingrich
 Paul
 Perry
 Romney
 Santorum


Barack Obama +

Luke Hayes is caucus director, from June 2011.  Texas state director for Organizing for America, 2009-10.  Field organizer on Obama's 2007-08 Nevada caucus campaign; in Fall 2008 Hayes served as deputy field director on the Virginia Campaign for Change.  Worked on Will Wynn’s 2006 campaign for Mayor of Austin, TX.  Graduate of Vassar College.  Originally from the Bronx.


Newt Gingrich +

Tiffiny Ruegner is leading Gingrich's efforts in the state.  Her experience include vice president of the Campaign to Defeat Obama from Dec. 2010, and director of field operations for Our Country Deserves Better PAC (Tea Party Express) from Aug. 2009.  Elicia Afton, formerly of the Cain campaign, is a key person in the Las Vegas office.


Ron Paul +

Steve Bierfeldt is Nevada executive director.  Previously executive director of the campaign's Iowa effort, announced May 10, 2011.  Director of development of the Campaign for Liberty, directing fundraising and strategy at the 2011 and 2010 CPAC conferences.  Also worked on Rand Paul's 2010 campaign for U.S. Senate in Kentucky.  Sponsorship director for the Campaign for Liberty's "Rally for the Republic" in Minneapolis in Sept. 2008.  In Spring 2008 managed Amit Singh's congressional campaign in VA-8.  Field program director for a non-profit in Arlington, VA until 2008.  Undergraduate degree in political science from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, 2006.  Carl Bunce is state chairman.


Mitt Romney +

The Romney campaign in Nevada is co-chaired by Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and U.S. Rep. Joe Heck.  State director is Sarah Nelson.  Her experience includes deputy political director on the Meg Whitman for Governor campaign in California, 2009-10.  Consultant at Ryan Erwin & Associates, 2005-09.  Associate at November Inc., 2004-05.  Degree in journalism and political science from Brigham Young University, 2001.  Ryan Erwin is senior advisor.

Rick Santorum +

Key people on Rick Santorum's team, announced Jan. 12, 2012, are general consultant, Zach Moyle, a principal at SoCo Strategies from Jan. 2011, state director David McGowan, a former Clark County Republican Party political director, and political director Jeff McGowan, who has worked in Nevada politics for several years.


former

Rick Perry +

On October 5, 2011 RickPerry.org announced Jeremy Hughes as state director and Kristin Vieira as deputy state director.  Hughes, from Kentucky, most recently worked on Mississippi State Treasurer Tate Reeves' campaign for Lt. Governor.  Vieira was most recently at the Fund for Nevada's Future and served as deputy director of Nevada GOP Victory 2010.  Gov. Brian Sandoval announced his endorsement of Perry on Sept. 13, 2011.


Herman Cain +

Elicia Afton (Elicia Huffaker) has served as state director since March 2011.  Chief of staff on the Fiore for Congress campaign in NV-3, to July 2010.  Campaign manager on Cannon for Virginia State Delegate campaign, 2009.  High school religion teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic High School, 2007-08.  In 2005-06 worked on several mayoral and city council elections.  B.A. in communications from Loyola University New Orleans, 2005.