Ellen Brown and Halie Daniels from BGR’s State and Local practice examine the rise of women in government, and what to expect from these women after the 2022 midterms elections. Also find a comprehensive analysis of upcoming state legislature issues to be aware of coming in to 2023.
READ: BGR Group 2022 Election Deep Dives – Women in Government
Patrick Dolan and Keiffer Mitchell from BGR’s State and Local practice examine two rising stars at the national level: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who just won her re-election bid by 11 points, and Maryland Governor-elect Wes Moore, who won with 60 percent of the vote.
READ: BGR Group 2022 Election Deep Dives – Michigan and Maryland
June 2, 2022 – BGR Group, Washington, D.C.’s premier bipartisan lobbying and public relations firm, today announced that Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr., a senior aide to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and former Maryland State Delegate, will join the firm’s bipartisan government affairs State and Local Advocacy Practice as a Vice President starting June 15.
During his eight years of service under Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Mitchell served as Acting Chief of Staff, Chief Legislative Officer and Senior Counsel, and Senior Advisor. He worked with Governor Hogan and cabinet agencies to prioritize policy issues as well as to advance budgets and the legislative priorities before the Maryland General Assembly. He also acted as the Governor’s chief negotiator with the General Assembly leadership and drive consensus on critical issues including allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Additionally, Mitchell was involved in advancing Governor Hogan’s signature issues including the `Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-Tech) Program, cybersecurity, broadband deployment and infrastructure policies.
From 2011 to 2015, Mitchell served as an elected member of the Maryland House of Delegates where he served on the Judiciary Committee, the Economic Matters Committee, and the Baltimore Regional Revitalization Task Force. He previously served on the Baltimore City Council from 1995 to 2007.
“Keiffer has been with me every step of the way since my first day in office in 2015, and he has played an integral role in all of the accomplishments we have made and the crises we have weathered,” Governor Hogan said. “An expert in both policy and politics, he is widely respected across the political spectrum for his ability to bring people together to solve problems and get things done. Keiffer will be greatly missed in the State House, but I want to wish my good friend and his family well as they embark on this next chapter.”
Mitchell commented, “I am thrilled to join BGR Group and help their clients navigate complex budget and policy issues facing states across the country. I am looking forward to bringing my experience as a Democratic legislator and service for a Republican governor to an already excellent bipartisan team.”
Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-7), a former President and CEO of NAACP, praised Mitchell’s record of service. “Keiffer Mitchell has served in local and state governments with distinction. His ascent and passion for others are no surprise to me as he comes from a storied family committed to public service, civil rights, excellence, and equal justice.” Congressman Mfume continued, “His grandfather, Clarence Mitchell, Jr., was a key architect of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as well as a Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee. His grandmother, Juanita Jackson Mitchell, was a pioneering civil rights attorney who helped desegregate the Baltimore City Public Schools Systems and its Recreation and Parks System. I respectfully succeeded his uncle Parren J. Mitchell, the first African American elected to Congress from Maryland, in the U.S. House of Representatives. While Keiffer has a rich and storied pedigree, it’s his own professionalism, work ethic and dedication to principle that garners him the respect of leaders on both sides of the aisle.”
BGR’s Chairman and CEO Bob Wood said, “BGR stands out among Washington, D.C.-based firms with its robust bipartisan state and local government relations offering. Keiffer’s experience on both sides of the aisle will immediately bolster BGR’s ability to help clients achieve results.”
Currently, Mitchell serves on the Board of Directors at the University of Maryland Medical System and the Maryland Center for History & Culture. His past board service includes Habitat for Humanity, Midtown Academy Charter School and Maryland Food Bank. As a city councilman, he was Chairman of the Board for the Baltimore City Human Services Commission. He earned his JD at the University of the District of Columbia David Clark School of Law and his BA in Political Science from Emory University.
Loren Monroe, head of BGR’s State and Local Advocacy Practice, commented, “Whether a red or blue state, county or city, decision-makers confront similar issues such as public health, the economy, education, technology modernization and, increasingly, social and cultural issues, Keiffer understands how to achieve results by finding consensus between both sides of the political aisle.”
Former Democratic State Senator and Chairman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Bobby Zirkin (D-Baltimore County) offered, “Keiffer and I were in the Young Democrats together during our college days. Our paths would cross again when we both served in the Maryland State Legislature where I was proud to work with him on important pieces of legislation. In this hyper-partisan political environment we live in, Keiffer is a throwback to a bygone era where relationships – no matter party affiliation – are essential to getting things done. Keiffer’s ability to maintain relationships and trust on both sides of the aisle was invaluable to the Governor and to many of us in the Maryland Legislature. I am honored to call Keiffer Mitchell a colleague and a trusted friend.”
(WASHINGTON, D.C., April 11, 2022) – BGR Group, Washington, D.C.’s premier bipartisan lobbying and communications firm, announced today that Halie Daniels is joining BGR’s Texas office as a Senior Associate. Halie has worked extensively with state agencies in the Lone Star state as well as with attorneys general offices across the country. As an Assistant Attorney General, Halie represented the State of Texas, including the Governor, Attorney General, and various State agencies.
“Halie joins BGR at a time of significant growth in our State Practice,” remarked BGR President Erskine Wells. “All of our clients will benefit from her steady counsel and policy expertise. We are thrilled to have her join the team.”
Based in BGR’s Austin, TX, office, Halie will serve as a key member of the firm’s bipartisan State Advocacy and Appropriations Practice. In this role, she will help BGR’s clients advocate before elected officials and state agencies in Texas as well as bolster the firm’s work before attorneys general across the country.
“It’s an honor to join the BGR team,” Daniels said. “BGR has an excellent reputation as a hard-working, bipartisan, results oriented firm. I look forward to working with BGR clients in Texas and across the country to advance their policy objectives.”
Speaking about the addition to the BGR Austin office, BGR Texas Director Jerry Strickland said, “As the 9th largest economy in the world, Texas is rich with companies who often need assistance engaging with the federal government and state leaders across the country. Halie’s experience will bolster BGR’s ability to help businesses navigate regulatory challenges and pursue sound policy solutions. She will be a valued member of our team.”
“Governors and attorneys general are on the frontlines of tackling the complex energy, health care and technology policy challenges facing the country,” said Loren Monroe, Head of BGR’s State Advocacy and Appropriations Practice. “Joining forces with Jerry Strickland, who served under Greg Abbott when he was Governor as well as Attorney General, Halie’s experience will further strengthen our strong offering in Texas and before the nation’s attorneys general.”
Halie brings nearly a decade of state experience to BGR’s team having served in the General Litigation Division as well as a key litigator in a Civil Medicaid Fraud for the Texas Attorney General. She has previously served in private practice as well as in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. She earned her Juris Doctor from the Florida Coastal School of Law in May 2015.
January 25, 2022 – BGR Group, Washington, D.C.’s premier bipartisan lobbying and public relations firm, today announced that Dan Farmer (Health and Life Sciences), Pete Landrum (Financial Services), Joe Lai (Commerce), and Jerry Strickland (State Advocacy and Appropriations) have been elected by their colleagues to be principals in the firm.
“BGR continues to expand and offer our clients top notch analysis and guidance on key policy challenges,” said Erskine Wells, President of BGR Group. “Dan, Pete, Joe and Jerry have been outstanding colleagues and contributors to BGR’s success. Their election as principals reflects their hard work and high level of performance in service of BGR’s clients.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 5, 2022) – BGR Group, Washington, D.C.’s premier bipartisan lobbying and public relations firm, today announced that the Honorable Stephen K. Benjamin will become Co-Chair of its Advisory Board. Mayor Benjamin, who did not run for reelection after serving three successful terms as Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, joined the Advisory Board in 2020. He will lead the firm’s outreach to the nation’s mayors on issues including infrastructure, broadband, education, telecommunications and public finance. Mayor Benjamin will also advise the firm’s clients on strengthening Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs as critical components of their Environmental, Social and Governance strategies.
“Mayor Benjamin is an outstanding leader and we are thrilled he is expanding his role at BGR,” said BGR Chairman and CEO Bob Wood. “His broad experience as a mayor and national advocate for diversity makes him uniquely qualified to advise our clients on a wide range of issues.”
“I have been incredibly impressed with the BGR team and am excited about expanding my role with the firm,” Mayor Benjamin said. “Promoting inclusive policies and expediting equitable infrastructure development will continue to be key areas of focus for me. Mayors will play an even more central role in policy development as they implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act across the country. As this process moves forward, it is vital that business leaders engage stakeholders at all levels on a consistent basis.”
“Mayor Benjamin’s advice and counsel has been invaluable to each of us at BGR and all of our clients,” said Jonathan Mantz, Co-Head of BGR’s Commerce, Infrastructure & Energy Practice and the leader of the firm’s Democratic outreach. “In his expanded role, he will help our clients engage in public-private partnerships as well as navigate complex environmental, social and governance challenges. We are thrilled to have him as a Co-Chair of our Advisory Board.”
Benjamin was elected in 2010 as the first Black mayor of South Carolina’s capital city and served until the end of 2021. As mayor, Benjamin focused on economic development, job creation and maintaining a just, diverse, and trusted law enforcement department. He served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors from 2018-2019 and as President of the African American Mayors Association from 2015-2016 He has also been Executive Chairman of Municipal Bonds for America, a member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, and a member of the Accelerator for America Advisory Council. In October 2021, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo named Mayor Benjamin as Board Chair of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority).
In 2016, President Barack Obama highlighted Mayor Benjamin’s work on behalf of My Brother’s Keeper (MBK), an initiative to empower boys and young men of color through combinations of federal grants, public-private partnerships and ingenuity. The city’s MBK efforts, in addition to Mayor Benjamin’s leadership, led to Columbia being seen as a nationwide leader in implementing and upholding the missions of the program.
Prior to his service as mayor, Benjamin served in South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges’ cabinet as the Chief Executive of the state’s second-largest law enforcement agency, the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. He also served as special counsel at a national law firm, serving as co-bond counsel on the issuance of over $150 million in municipal debt. Benjamin has been a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Affordable Housing Advisory Council, Co-Chair of the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy. He was awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2017 Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery by a Public Official for his leadership during an October 2015 flood.
Benjamin began his public service career in Columbia as student body president of the University of South Carolina and later as Student Bar Association President at the USC School of Law. He and his wife, the Honorable DeAndrea Gist Benjamin, Judge of General Sessions for South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit, are the proud parents of two daughters.
By Jennifer Lukawski, BGR Principal
November 3, 2021
While most of the attention today is on Glenn Youngkin’s come-from-behind victory over former Governor Terry McAuliffe in the Virginia gubernatorial campaign, a nationalized race by any measure, the real story may be in New Jersey. Incumbent Governor Phil Murphy (D-NJ) aimed to become the first Democrat since 1977 to be re-elected in the Garden State. In what has become a reliably blue state, the race should have been a shoo-in for him. His Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli, was a relative unknown. What’s more, Governor Murphy had a significant war chest, was running in a state that President Biden won by 16 points, and there are one million more registered Democrats than Republicans in the state. Governor Murphy has been successful in delivering on many of the progressive promises he made in his 2017 campaign, such as a minimum wage hike, free community college tuition, and new gun control laws. He was also commanding an 11-point lead in the polls as late as last week. Yet here we are, the day after, and the race is still too close to call. Pundits and political observers, not to mention the Murphy campaign, are in disbelief that this race is a nail-biter. So, what happened?
For starters, Democrats did not show up. In 2020, 2.6 million people voted for President Biden in New Jersey. Last night, only 1.2 million people stepped up to vote for Governor Murphy. A drop off of 1.4 million voters is stunning, even for an off-year election. While votes are still being counted in the Democratic strongholds of Essex and Hudson counties, Democrats up and down the ballot fell far short of expectations in the blue-collar areas of South Jersey. In fact, NJ State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, an 11-year incumbent and the second-most powerful elected state official behind Murphy, is currently trailing a Republican truck driver who spent just $153 on his campaign. If defeated, Sweeny would join a list of stunning upsets in legislative races across the state.
Republicans, on the other hand, bitterly frustrated by having some of the highest property taxes in the country and suffering through strict COVID-19 lockdowns, showed up in droves to vote for a candidate that most had likely never heard of or who knew little about. Ciattarelli, a businessman and former member of the NJ General Assembly, was able to outperform Governor Murphy in the key Republican stronghold counties of Monmouth and Ocean, the area of the Jersey Shore where Chris Christie had also outperformed John Corzine 12 years ago. Oddly enough, Monmouth County is where Governor Murphy lives.
While the race is still too close to call and will likely be headed for a recount, Republicans in New Jersey have a lot to be excited about – win or lose. Today feels a lot like post-Election Day 2009, which led to a big night in 2010 when Republicans reclaimed their majority in the U.S. House, picked up 6 seats in the U.S. Senate, and added 6 GOP governors to their ranks. We will learn a lot more about what happened in the New Jersey election in the days and weeks ahead. Coupled with Glenn Youngkin’s big victory in Virginia, it is clear the Democrats are in political trouble and have a lot to prove in one year’s time.
Less than an hour after polls closed on Tuesday, the race was called and the attempt to remove California Governor Gavin Newsom from office failed by a wide margin with 64% of voters voting “no” to recall Newsom.
Despite California’s deep blue electorate with nearly a 2:1 registration advantage for Democrats, and Governor Newsom’s significant fundraising advantage with a combined $83.4 million raised compared to $45.3 million raised by his Republican challengers and pro-recall committees, there are three key takeaways from California’s recall for Democratic Governors and gubernatorial candidates in 2021 and 2022, where 36 gubernatorial seats are up for election.
In the latest BGR Views, BGR PR Principal Jo Maney welcomes Patrick Dolan, Senior Director for State Advocacy and Appropriations, to BGR, and speaks with William Crozer, BGR Vice President for State Advocacy and Appropriations, about the increasing importance of states and local jurisdictions in the national policy debate.
