Albrecht Joins Branstad Campaign
- Monday, November 2, 2009, 8:37
- Iowa, News Center, Top Story
- 1,215 views
- 8 comments
Former governor Terry Branstad has added to his campaign team. Branstad has hired long-time Republican operative Tim Albrecht to lead his gubernatorial campaign’s communications department. Albrecht, who most recently served as the American Future Funds communication director, brings a wealth of campaign and legislative experience to his new position with Branstad’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign.
Like many political operatives in Iowa, Albrecht got his start at a young age volunteering for a presidential campaign (Pat Buchanan) in advance of the Iowa caucuses. During the 2000 caucuses, Albrecht organized 33 counties for Steve Forbes in the northwest corner of the state. Following the 2000 caucuses, Albrecht worked on Dick Johnson’s congressional campaign, Steve Sukup’s gubernatorial campaign, and Greg Ganske’s U.S. Senate campaign. Albrecht is most known for his work as Mitt Romney’s Iowa communications director during the 2008 caucuses. After Iowa, Albrecht traveled the country with the campaign before Romney dropped out of the race on February 7th.
Before joining the Romney campaign, Albrecht served as the communications director for then-Speaker of the Iowa House, Christopher Rants. Albrecht served in that position for four years. Albrecht’s wife is now the communications director for House Republican leader Kraig Paulsen. Rants and Albrecht were very tight. In 2006, Rants selected Albrecht to serve as the House Majority Fund director, a position which oversaw all the Republican State House campaigns that year. Last month, Rants gave the blessing before the meal at Albrecht’s wedding. All of this makes it somewhat surprising that Albrecht is now working for one of Rants’ gubernatorial opponents.
Albrecht is a valuable addition to the Branstad campaign. Not only does he have great relationships with most of the reporters across the state, but he also brings extensive knowledge of legislative issues from the time during which Branstad was out of office. He will also probably be asked to use his contacts with activists and current and former legislators to help out with Branstad’s statewide organization.
Albrecht also brings with him a good understanding of how to use new-media sources to impact news cycles. In addition to his political work, Albrecht is the founder of TheBeanWalker.com, an Iowa-specific news aggregator modeled off of the Drudge Report. TheBeanWalker.com links to the top news stories of the day and, occasionally, various entries from blogs and other new-media sources. The site has allowed Albrecht to keep good relations with various reporters while filtering the news for the readers of TheBeanWalker.com.
The American Future Fund, Albrecht’s former employer sent out the following statement today.
“We are excited for Tim as he embarks on this new opportunity,” said American Future Fund Board President Sandy Greiner. “As AFF has become one of the nation’s leading conservative grassroots advocacy groups, Tim’s energy and focus helped us grow and expand by sharing our message across the country. We wish him well in his new endeavor; he will be missed.”
He leaves as The American Future Fund begins a massive advertising campaign targeting Democrats on health care.
Albrecht has emerged as one of the top communications operatives in the state. What sets him apart from his colleagues is his well-rounded political resume, connections to grassroots activists, and his knowledge of how to use new media sources. Albrecht joins former Republican Party of Iowa Executive Director Jeff Boeyink, who is Branstad’s campaign manager.
About the Author
Craig Robinson has written 505 stories on this site.
Craig Robinson serves as the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheIowaRepublican.com. Prior to founding Iowa's largest conservative news site, Robinson served as the Political Director of the Republican Party of Iowa during the 2008 Iowa Caucuses. In that capacity, Robinson planned and organized the largest political event in 2007, the Iowa Straw Poll, in Ames, Iowa. Robinson also organized the 2008 Republican caucuses in Iowa, and was later dispatched to Nevada to help with the caucuses there. Robinson cut his teeth in Iowa politics during the 2000 caucus campaign of businessman Steve Forbes and has been involved with most major campaigns in the state since then. His extensive political background and rolodex give him a unique perspective from which to monitor the political pulse of Iowa.
8 Comments on “Albrecht Joins Branstad Campaign”
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I knew he would join Branstad’s campaign. A few weeks ago, Krusty Konservative listed possibilities of communication directors for Branstad and I said Albrecht already had the job because thebeanwalker.com is so biased toward Branstad and Branstad always made the headlines. When another candidate made the news, it would be in small writing. Who will run the beanwalker now? I’m sure the headlines will praise Terry.
I feel sorry for Chris Rants. The guy who game the blessing at your wedding is working for your opponent. How sad.
I read somewhere, maybe on Bret Hayworth’s blog, that Rants encouraged Albrecht to ask out the woman who’s now his wife. Anyway, Rants has been dumped by plenty of former friends; Bruce Rastetter wrote Rants’ legislative campaign committee a check for $70,000 a year ago, but he became one of the ringleaders of the draft Branstad effort this summer.
Politics is a tough business. Being smart like Rants is less important than being well-connected like Branstad.
Stacia…
Once again….Albrecht can do whatever he wants to with TheBeanWalker site…why? Because he owns it! Good lord woman..get a grip…. Go start your own news website if you think TheBeanWalker is “biased”.
Feeling sorry for Chris Rants?? Please… Politics is a business, Stacia…and in this business candidates surround themselves with the best and brightest campaign staff…Tim Albrecht is the BEST when it comes to political communications in Iowa. Rants only has himself to blame for not hiring Albrecht himself..
anyone have any idea on how the Brandstad candidacy will fracture the republican party ?
one of my sources has been told that Christian Fong is already angling for the Lieutenant Governor slot. but it will be interesting to see if Brandstad forgives him for the earlier nasty videos Fong’s campaign put out. Terry definitely need a boost from the younger generation, i just don’t know if going with Fong will solve that. it will be interesting to see what becomes of the republican party of Iowa if they give Tax hike Terry the nod.
Geez, I try to be sympathetic towards Rants for once and people get all upset. They get upset when I bash Rants and win I give him a little sympathy. I know Albrech can do whatever he wants with his site and I am pleased to learn that he has a new publisher that will not be biased (see the report on thebeanwalker.com). I commend him for that. I know politics is a tought game, I just don’t like to see politics divide friendships.
Lobo, putting Fong in the #2 slot might well be a good move. If Branstad is in it for only a term to straighten out the mess, it would give Mr. Fong the opportunity to not only gain experience but make him much more well known. If I was the former Gov., I’d sure would be considering it.
I am writing off topic, since I know most of the people on here do not watch the colbert report, you are not aware that the US Speed skating team lost its primary sponsor and is scrabling for funds. Colbert has stepped in to help fundraise for them. I know many of you probably don’t like him, but this is a good patriotic cause I thought everyone could get behind. You can go to colbertnation or the US speed skating cite to make a donation.
silence