JOSHUA RUSH

NORTH CAROLINA

Campaign Manager

Natasha Marcus for Insurance Commissioner

February 2024 - November 2024

In North Carolina, I ran a lean, mean, record-breaking operation for a Commissioner of Insurance race. We achieved a $950k+ total raise, only spent $100k before our spend phase, and had a 9:1 spend advantage.

For the campaign, I developed innovative opposition site RateHikeMike.com, managed all fundraising, communications, and event scheduling, and helped to secure a 78% primary victory with a 100-county sweep. I'm most proud of my work to earn innovative media coverage of our race in The New York Times, Fast Company, and local media for a typically-overlooked office in a state with marquee races for governor and the presidency.

• Broke records for challenger fundraising in an NC Commissioner of Insurance race, outspending opponent 9-to-1
• Built RateHikeMike.com, opposition research site allowing voters to search by county to find insurance rate increases
• Earned innovative media coverage of our race in The New York Times, Fast Company, and local media for a typically-overlooked office in a state with marquee races
• Managed all campaign operations: strategy development, scheduling, communications, press, digital/print materials, media production, fundraising, event logistics, and budget management

CALIFORNIA

Deputy Press Secretary

CA Senate Pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins

April 2023 - February 2024

I worked as a speechwriter, media point of contact, advance staffer, and body person for the Pro Tempore. I also updated our systems for tracking the 50+ floor-credentialed media members in California and for tracking the Pro Tempore's public statements to ensure she is always quoted accurately in the media.

• Drafted and prepared speeches, press releases and advisories, event memos, and public-facing collateral
• Staffed the Pro Tempore at events across the Sacramento/Capitol area, managing media during appearances
• Served as point person on the Senate floor for the Office of the Pro Tempore
• Redesigned internal systems for maintaining press relations, tracking statements to ensure protection against misquoting the principal, and managing credentialing of media visitors to the Senate floor

NEVADA

Communications Director

Nevada Democratic Victory

June 2022 - November 2022

In Nevada, I served as the DNC Embed and Communications Director for Nevada Democratic Victory, the 2022 coordinated campaign. I served as the primary media point of contact for the Attorney General and Secretary of State campaigns, executed weekly press events, coordinated messaging across the DNC, DSCC, DCCC, and the coordinated campaign; and I served as a primary point of contact for national reporters arriving to cover the state.

I'm most proud of my work on stunts that broke the Democratic message into Republican events, including crashing a press conference jointly hosted by Donald Trump and then-GOP gubernatorial nominee Joe Lombardo with a 'clown protest.'

• Served as NV DNC embed, advancing and coordinating messaging between national committees and NV coordinated
• Served as primary point of contact for local and national reporters, and as communications lead for Attorney General and Secretary of State campaigns
• Executed multiple press events weekly, driving news and event initiatives from initial idea through pitching, logistics, and placement
• Proudest of my work on stunts that broke the Democratic message into Republican events, including crashing a press conference jointly hosted by Donald Trump and then-GOP gubernatorial nominee Joe Lombardo with a 'clown protest'

UTAH

Communications Director & Consultant

Utah Democratic Party & Landslide Political

2020 - 2022

Utah has been my adoptive home since 2016, and I often tell people that I didn't officially finish my transition to professional political operative until I worked there in 2020 as a field organizer for Rep. Ben McAdams' campaign.

In 2021, I became the youngest Democratic state party Communications Director in history, leading the Utah Democratic Party's public outreach. During my tenure, I rebuilt the party's comms infrastructure from the ground up, overhauling our digital assets, redesigning our brand identity, and developing outreach strategies that our party had never used before. The results were dramatic, including 9x increases in digital engagement and significant increases in media attention.

After my work with the Utah Democratic Party, I transitioned to working for Democratic consulting firm Landslide Political, where I built a comms shop from the ground up at a paid field firm. I trained staff and managed several clients, including leading Democratic outreach for the historic 2022 Evan McMullin for Senate campaign. In that role, I led communication to several thousand Democratic delegates, successfully convincing them to support independent Evan McMullin for Senate over nominating a Democrat guaranteed to lose.

In Utah, I'm proudest of my work against Rep. Burgess Owens, which culminated in an event in which Utah Dems brought letters marked 'FRAUD' to a town hall event. After I asked Rep. Owens about his charity organization, he scolded me in front of his constituents—something I turned into a publicity moment, penning an op-ed about how Owens had 'scolded my generation.'

• Became youngest Democratic state party Communications Director in history at age 19
• Rebuilt party's communications infrastructure from ground up, achieving 9x increases in digital engagement
• Built Landslide Political's communications shop, training two deputies and building client list
• Led communication to several thousand Democratic delegates, successfully convincing them to support independent Evan McMullin for Senate over nominating a Democrat
• Proudest of my work against Rep. Burgess Owens, bringing letters marked 'FRAUD' to town hall event, resulting in Teen Vogue op-ed about how he 'scolded my generation'

WASHINGTON

Interim Communications Advisor

Washington State Democratic Party

August 2023 - February 2024

During a period of transition for the Washington State Democrats, I took the lead on strategic communications counsel, advising on media strategy and messaging while supporting rapid response operations across the state.

• Provided strategic communications counsel during critical transition period
• Advised on media strategy and messaging for statewide Democratic priorities
• Supported rapid response operations and crisis communications
• Coordinated with state and national stakeholders to advance Democratic messaging