National Republican Congressional Committee Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel Jessica Furst Johnson will be the committee’s Independent Expenditure Director for the 2016 cycle.  

“Jessica was instrumental in helping us win our historic Republican majority in 2014 and we are excited she will lead our IE unit in 2016,” said NRCC Executive Director Rob Simms in a release first obtained by Roll Call.  

In her new role, Furst Johnson will oversee tens of millions of dollars in spending on television ads and polling in the most competitive House races across the country.  

Furst Johnson has headed up the NRCC’s legal department for four cycles. Back in 2004, the Sarasota, Florida native was communications director for Republican Katherine Harris’ successful House campaign before working as an associate in Foley & Larder LLP’s Washington office.  

Recent past NRCC IE directors include Rich Dunn of FP1 Strategies , Joanna Burgos of OnMessage Inc. , and American Action Network President/former Republican National Committee Chief of Staff Mike Shields .  

In December, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced Oregon native Ty Matsdorf would lead its IE arm. He was most recently deputy executive director and director of strategic messaging at the committee.  

“This will be a critical election year and I am excited to get to work and see our majority grow even larger,” Furst Johnson said in the release. “Chairman Greg Walden’s goal has always been to maintain and grow our majority and we are on a course to do just that.”  

Considering Republicans have their largest House majority in decades, Democrats have plenty of opportunities to gain seats. But the competitiveness of the presidential election will likely impact how difficult, or how easy, it is for the NRCC to hold or grow the majority.  

Correction:  The photo caption in an earlier version of this story incorrectly reported Furst Johnson’s role in Harris’ House campaign.  

Related:

DCCC Names Ty Matsdorf IE Director


NRCC Names Independent Expenditure Director (Dunn)


NRCC Names First Female to Lead Independent Expenditure Arm


NRCC’s Independent Expenditure Is Armed With Shields
Roll Call Race Ratings Map: Ratings for Every House and Senate Race in 2016


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