Jim Messina (political staffer)
Jim Messina (born October 29, 1969) is an American political adviser who was the White House deputy chief of staff for operations under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2011 and served as the campaign manager for Obama's successful 2012 re-election campaign. His "innovative fusion of technology and politics led Google chairman Eric Schmidt to call the 2012 race 'the best-run campaign ever'". He is the CEO of the Messina Group.
Jim Messina | |
|---|---|
| White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations | |
| In office January 20, 2009 – January 26, 2011 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Blake Gottesman |
| Succeeded by | Alyssa Mastromonaco |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 29, 1969 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Montana (BA) |
Messina became President Obama's White House deputy chief of staff and earned the nickname "the fixer." Dan Pfeiffer called Messina "the most powerful person in Washington that you haven't heard of." Messina was integral to the passage on the Affordable Care Act and was widely credited with the effort to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell.
In January 2013, the Obama administration announced the launch of Organizing for Action, an advocacy organization that would promote President Obama's policies, with Jim Messina as national chair. That same year, Messina became co-chair of Priorities USA Action.
In various roles he has advised a number of international campaigns and candidates, including former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi, and UK Prime Minister Theresa May.