Sen. McConnell Announces Changes to Communications Staff

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) recently announced several changes to his leadership communications team, including the hiring of a new communications director and the promotions of veteran staff members.

Michael Brumas was named Communications Director; John Ashbrook was recently elevated to Staff Director of the Senate Republican Communications Center; and Brian McGuire was promoted to Deputy Communications Director and Director of Speechwriting.  Don Stewart, Sen. McConnell's Communications Director since 2006, will serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications.

Brumas has more than a decade of experience as a top Senate aide.  He served previously as Chief of Staff for Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Communications Director for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and most recently as Communications Director for Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).  In 2000, Brumas came to the Senate after a journalism career that included working as a Washington correspondent for a newspaper and several news services.  In his new post, he will be the daily press contact on leadership matters.

Ashbrook was promoted to Staff Director for the Senate Republican Communications Center.  He joined the operation when it was created in 2007 and most recently served as Press Secretary; he will continue to serve as a spokesman.  Ashbrook began his career working for Reps. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jean Schmidt (R-OH) before moving to the staff of the House Republican Conference.  Ashbrook is a native of Cincinnati.

McGuire has been with Sen. McConnell's leadership office since January 2007. He previously worked as a reporter and columnist covering business and politics and as a lead speechwriter at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  A native of Upstate New York, McGuire assists in the development of strategic messaging and oversees all speechwriting and related efforts.

Stewart, who helped create the Republican Communications Center, oversees all aspects of the Leader's communications efforts.  He previously served as Communications Director for Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Press Secretary for Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX) and Regional Director for Sen. Paul Coverdell (R-GA).

The communications staff will continue to work closely with their colleagues in Leader McConnell's personal office, where Communications Director Robert Steurer manages the Kentucky press operations.  A McConnell veteran and Kentucky native, Steurer leads a team that is responsible for all public outreach efforts in the Bluegrass State, including television, print, radio and new media. Deputy Communications Director Pam Simpson, also a Kentucky native, will soon join the office. She currently serves as Deputy Press Secretary for Sen. Shelby.  (PF tipster)