Jim Margolis

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Jim Margolis
Jim Margolis May 2015.jpg
Born James David Margolis
(1955-04-30) April 30, 1955 (age 68)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Nationality American
Ethnicity White
Alma mater Oberlin College (B.A.)
Occupation Senior Partner, GMMB, Inc.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Dr. Vicki Seyfert-Margolis, PhD, Scientist
Children
  • Casey
  • Eric
  • Jeremy

James David "Jim" Margolis (born April 30, 1955) is an American political consultant and communications executive based in Washington, D.C. He served as a Senior Advisor to Barack Obama in both his 2008[1] and 2012[2] campaigns for the White House, taking a lead role in each cycle’s half-billion dollar[3] advertising effort and helping direct the campaign as a member of the core strategic team.[4] He also served as co-producer of Mr. Obama’s two presidential inaugurals[5] and Mr. Obama’s two national nominating conventions (Denver, 2008; Charlotte, 2012).[6] Margolis is a senior partner at GMMB, Inc.,[7] a strategic communications firm and advertising agency known for its work with political leaders, nonprofits and corporations.[8][9] Previously he served as chief of staff to US Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND),[10] chief of staff to US Congressman Howard Wolpe (D-MI),[11] and Deputy Director of Communications for Vice President Walter Mondale’s presidential campaign.[12]

Early life

Margolis is the fifth child of Frederick Margolis,[13] a pediatrician,[14][15] film producer,[16] and inventor,[17] and Elizabeth Rieger,[18] a social worker. He was born in Albuquerque, NM when his father served in the US Public Health Service directing health care on a Navajo Indian reservation (Ft. Defiance, AZ).[19] Margolis grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, attended Kalamazoo public schools and graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School (1973).[20] During his middle school years he became active in politics and elections.[21] He headed a regional student group, Students for Better Education at age 14, was hired as field director for a congressional campaign at age 15 and served as the student representative to the Board of Education at age 17. Margolis received his BA from Oberlin College in 1978 with a double major in Government and Communications Studies.[22]

Political career

Immediately after graduating from college, Margolis was hired to manage the long-shot congressional campaign of Howard Wolpe,[23] a state representative (MI-46th district) and former professor at Western Michigan University.[21] The long-shot Wolpe defeated Republican incumbent Garry Brown in November 1978[24] and Margolis, at age 22, came to Washington as Wolpe’s chief of staff.[11] At the time, he was the youngest executive assistant on Capitol Hill.[25]

At 26, Margolis became “Walter Mondale’s man in Illinois,"[25] the state director for Mondale’s key presidential primary win in the state. Next he served as state director for Mondale’s North Carolina win,[26] and then in the general election, became Deputy Director of Communications at the national headquarters in Washington.[12] Margolis joined GMMB (then Greer & Associates) in February 1985.[26] In 1986 he led the strategy and advertising efforts for two upset U.S. Senate wins, Brock Adams (D-WA) who defeated Republican Senator Slade Gorton, and Kent Conrad (D-ND) who defeated Republican Senator Mark Andrews.[27] Campaign and Elections magazine named Margolis a Rising Star.[28] In January 1987, Margolis took a leave of absence from his firm and became Senator Conrad’s first chief of staff.[29][30] In January 1988 he returned to GMMB.[31]

Nationally, Margolis is considered one of the top Democratic political consultants in the nation,[32] winning key national and statewide races. Over the years Margolis’ senate clients have included: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Senator Brock Adams (D-WA),[33] Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Senator Ron Wyden (D-ND), Senator Bob Menendez(D-NJ), Senator John Kerry (D-MA),[34] Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA).[35][36][37] In addition Margolis has worked on behalf of many governors,[35] members of Congress, statewide initiatives,[38][39] and local officials.[40] Internationally, he has advised presidential and prime ministerial candidates in Africa, Asia, Central America and Europe.[9][35]

In U.S. presidential politics, Margolis worked as deputy director of communications for Walter Mondale in 1986.[41] In 1992, the firm was the lead agency for President Clinton’s presidential campaign.[35][42] Margolis served as a senior strategist and lead media consultant for Senator John Kerry’s 2004 presidential primary campaign.[12] During the 2004 Democratic primaries, “Margolis’ commercials featuring Senator John Kerry’s crewmates from Vietnam recalling his heroism were credited with helping him win the nomination."[43] He left the Kerry race after the nomination was effectively won (April 2004), after a dispute with Robert Shrum, another media consultant.[44] In the 2008 and 2012 campaigns, Margolis was a senior advisor to Barack Obama where he “helped craft, hone and sell President Obama’s message"[45] and “was an indispensable part of Mr. Obama’s media team."[43] He “relentlessly bombarded swing-state airwaves for months,”[46] “outfoxing Mitt Romney and his allies to air far more television spots despite being outspent,” and was named one of “The Obama Campaign’s Real Heroes” by Rolling Stone Magazine.[47]

According to the New York Times, “If you live in a state where a presidential contest has been close at some point in the last 20 years, you have probably seen one of Mr. Margolis’s ads."[43]

Non-profit and corporate work

At GMMB, Margolis has advised non-profit and foundation clients including The Center for the Next Generation,[48][49][50][51] The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,[52] The Kaiser Family Foundation, The Sierra Club, The Corporation for National and Community Service, AARP,[53] the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,[54] and the Walmart Foundation.[55]

Corporate clients have included AT&T, MGM Resorts International,[39][56][57] FINRA, Kaiser Permanente, Cisco Systems,[58] and VISA.[55][59] Labor organizations including AFSCME, the UAW and CWA have worked with Margolis on organizing, communications and crisis management issues.[55][60]

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ {{cite web|title=Howard Wolpe Wikipedia Page|url=[[Howard Wolpe}}]]
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  56. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  57. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  58. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  60. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Media offices
Preceded by
Media consultant for Harry Reid
2009–2010		 Succeeded by
Preceded by
Media consultant for Hillary Clinton
2015–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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