Dave Brat Campaign Announces Permanent Senior Staff

Although perhaps a bit slow to get off the ground after their surprise triumph in last month’s 7th District GOP primary, the Dave Brat campaign has announced appointment of the senior leaders who will run the campaign through November.

Headlining the new move is Tim Edson, who has been hired as Brat’s general consultant. Edson is best known as the campaign manager for former Florida Congressman Allen West, and also has significant experience in running races in Virginia and Indiana, where he worked for Rep. Todd Rokita.

Making the trains run on time, and seeing to all the day-to-day mechanics of the campaign, is new campaign manager Phil Rapp. Rapp takes over for interim campaign manager Amanda Chase, a former political director for Rep. Eric Cantor who is returning to running her small business. Rapp has been with the Brat campaign from the beginning, and was among Brat’s chief advisors and one of the organizers of the volunteer army that helped overcome Brat’s fundraising deficit in the primary contest versus Cantor.

The news comes on the heels of last month’s hiring of former Ken Cuccinelli communications director Brian Gottstein to fill the same role on the Brat campaign. Together, this is a solid, experienced team, and their hiring is an encouraging sign that the campaign is rapidly becoming the organized, disciplined team necessary to ensure victory in November.

Please join me in wishing Phil, Brian, Tim, and the rest of the Brat team great success!