Mercury Public Affairs added to its wave of high-profile hires made within the past year Friday, announcing that GOP media consultant Chris Mottola will join the firm’s team, bringing his consulting company Chris Mottola Inc. along with him.  

“Joining Mercury affords me the chance to work with a truly smart group of people who are experts in research, and understand how to translate the numbers attached to policy and politics into great creative content,” Mottola said in a statement.  

The addition of Mottola, the late Sen. Arlen Specter’s longtime media consultant , continues the public firm’s expansion as several notable figures, including former diplomat Erin Pelton, have been hired within the past few months. With Mercury looking to hone its media capability, Mottola will head the paid media operations firm from his headquarters in Philadelphia.  

Mottola’s past clients include such Republican heavy-hitters as former President George W. Bush, Sen. John McCain  of Arizona and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Mottola is a national award-winning producer of campaign ads, and has owned his media consulting firm for 28 years. His work for Specter took place in the Pennsylvania senator’s stints as both Republican and Democrat.  

“Chris Mottola’s decade of work in campaign ads and political consulting is known throughout the United States,” CEO Kieran Mahoney said in a statement on the firm’s new hire. “We have worked with Chris for many years, and have seen his talents contribute to myriad successful campaign wins.”