Potomac Flacks

RNC's Spicer Named White House Press Secretary

The most coveted job in communications, White House Press Secretary, has been earned by well-known and well-liked flack Sean Spicer (@seanspicer), who has served as RNC chief strategist and communications director over the past two presidential cycles.

The announcement was made Thursday by the Trump-Pence transition team in a brief news release.

In addition to Spicer, the following senior White House communications roles were announced:

Jason Miller, Director of Communications

Hope Hicks, Director of Strategic Communications

Dan Scavino, Director of Social Media

All four individuals will share “Assistant to the President” titles.

“Sean, Hope, Jason and Dan have been key members of my team during the campaign and transition. I am excited they will be leading the team that will communicate my agenda that will Make America Great Again,” President-elect Donald Trump said in the release.

Spicer’s road to White House Press Secretary includes several grueling years at the RNC, but his career did not begin there.

Spicer served as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Media from 2006-2009.

Before that he worked on Capitol Hill, as Communications Director for the House Republican Conference from 2005-2006, as Communications Director for the House Budget Committee from 2002-2005, and as Director of Incumbent Retention for the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC).

He holds a Master’s in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and a Bachelor’s in Government from Connecticut College.

In 1999, Spicer joined the Navy Reserves, where he holds the rank of Commander.

He is a native of Barrington, RI. (The Hill / PF reporting)

Former Walker, RNC flack Kukowski to Manage Communications at 2016 GOP Convention in Cleveland

Kirsten Kukowski has been named Communications Director for the 2016 GOP Convention in Cleveland.

Kukowski was Communications Director for Scott Walker’s presidential campaign, and served as Press Secretary for the RNC and on Mark Kirk’s U.S. Senate campaign in Illinois.

RNC News: Spicer Promoted, Moore Named Press Secretary, Short Leading Rapid Response, Kukowski to Walker

This week three announcements were made at the Republican National Committee.

Sean Spicer, who has served as Communications Director at the RNC since 2011, will now also serve as Chief Strategist for the 2016 presidential campaign cycle.

Allison Moore has been named National Press Secretary for the RNC, after working the 2014 cycle as Press Secretary for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) successful reelection campaign.  She previously worked in the Senate Republican Communications Center, first as Deputy Press Secretary, then as Broadcast Communications Advisor.

Michael Short has been promoted to Director of Rapid Response at the RNC for the 2016 cycle, after serving most recently as a Regional Press Secretary at the RNC.  In 2012 he was Virginia Communications Director at the RNC, in addition to working on Capitol Hill, at the NRSC and on U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-TX) 2008 reelection campaign. 

Moore is replacing Kirsten Kukowski, who has worked at the RNC for the past four years and is now joining Our American Revival, the 527 started by Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI), as Communications Director.  Kukowski is a veteran of the 2008 McCain presidential campaign, the Mark Kirk’s 2010 U.S. Senate campaign and as spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Republican Party. (PF tipster)

Webb Hires Crawford as Communications Director

The presidential exploratory committee of former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) announced on twitter that Craig Crawford has been named Communications Director.

Crawford ran The Hotline for National Journal from 1997-2003 and was Washington Bureau Chief for the Orlando Sentinel before that.  Since then he wrote a column for CQ and provided political commentary for MSNBC.  (PF tipster)