KONNI BURTON ANNOUNCES TEAM TRANSITIONS
Burton announces growing campaign team as she gears up for a competitive November
COLLEYVILLE, TX – Today, State Senator Konni Burton announced transitions in her state office as well as her growing campaign team in her re-election bid for Senate District 10.
“My team and I achieved our goals for the first leg of our campaign: we raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and successfully staved off a primary challenge. Now, as we enter the next phase of our campaign, I’m excited to continue to grow the team and engage with even more voters every day. Senate District 10 wants a Senator who will pass property tax reform and be a strong, independent, conservative voice.”
Burton shocked many when she took back Senate District 10 in 2014 — outperforming both Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick in the district. Sen. Burton and her team intend to be even more aggressive in the 2018 campaign.
The most significant announcement made Friday is the transitioning of Konni’s Chief of Staff, Elliott Griffin, who is moving into the private sector. However, Griffin will be staying on the Burton campaign as a senior advisor and strategist through the November election.
Griffin commented on his departure from the state office saying, “I could not be more pleased to finish my time in the Capitol working alongside my good friend Senator Burton–she is a force to be reckoned with and the people of Texas are blessed to have her fighting to defend their rights every day. I will continue to serve as a trusted advisor and strategist to Senator Burton, and I am excited about the momentum she continues to gain in her campaign.”
Chris Paxton will transition to Senator Burton’s acting Chief of Staff while McKenzie Taylor will take the reins as Burton’s new Campaign Manager. Taylor recently managed Rep. Kyle Biedermann’s successful re-election campaign and has an impressive background in grassroots engagement and political campaigns.
Burton announced her 2018 general election campaign team as follows:
Luke Macias – General Consultant
Luke Macias served as General Consultant for Burton’s successful campaign in 2014 and remains her lead political advisor. He has worked on over a dozen races since 2012 for members currently serving in the Texas Legislature and has extensive experience in building coalitions and organizing support for his candidates. In 2014, Luke worked with then-candidate Burton and led her campaign, organizing her unprecedented ground game and get-out-the-vote effort, all of which led to her outperforming the top of the Republican ticket in Senate District 10 during that cycle.
Elliott Griffin – Senior Advisor & Strategist
Elliott Griffin served as Sen. Konni Burton’s Chief of Staff. He previously worked in the Office of the Lt. Governor as External Affairs Director for Dan Patrick, as Transition Director for then Lt. Governor-Elect Dan Patrick, and as Political Director for Dan Patrick’s historic victory in 2014. Griffin has also worked as Chief of Staff for Reps. Wayne Christian and Matt Krause, as well as Regional Field Director for North Texas on Governor Rick Perry’s successful re-election campaign in 2010. He brings years of campaign experience with an emphasis in communications and grassroots organizing.
Drew Lawson – Direct Mail Consulting
Lawson has been recognized for his work in the political realm by receiving multiple awards from Capitol Inside, a respected political publication. Drew Lawson has over a decade of experience in Texas politics, with an extensive track record on political campaigns from the U.S. Senate to Congress to the Texas Legislature and Judiciary.
Cynthia Weidemann – Fundraising Consultant
Cynthia is highly regarded as one of the top fundraisers throughout Texas politics. She’s worked with numerous Senators, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton. With over 30 years of experience in Texas politics, Fundraising Solutions provides the operational expertise and meaningful relationships required to provide outstanding, principled campaign support to candidates and their campaigns.
McKenzie Taylor – Campaign Manager
McKenzie Taylor recently managed Rep. Kyle Biedermann’s hotly-contested re-election campaign, which he won soundly. Taylor previously worked for Rep. Biedermann in his Capitol office during the 2017 session and worked on multiple campaigns in the past including Rick Green’s statewide Texas Supreme Court race. She brings a high level of experience to the ground team in Senate District 10.
Jonathan Silva – Field Director
Jonathan Silva currently serves as Sen. Konni Burton’s Field Director and will assist the Campaign Manager in identifying and utilizing volunteer resources. Silva has extensive experience in the field, working most recently as a Field Representative for Sen. Charles Perry and Governor Abbott in their successful campaigns. He also worked other canvassing operations, including time in a presidential battleground state. Silva has been walking Senate District 10 for months, identifying support and building Burton’s grassroots network for 2018.
Chris Perkins – Lead Pollster
Chris Perkins worked as lead pollster for Burton’s successful campaign in 2014 and will return in the same role for her re-election effort. Perkins brings over a decade of experience working on behalf of Republican candidates and is considered one of the top in his field. He has been named one of Capitol Inside’s “Texas Power Consultants” for three consecutive election cycles and has a reputation as the most accurate pollster in Texas during that time.
Vici Media Group – Digital Consulting
Vici Media Group, an Austin-based digital media firm, has been with Sen. Konni Burton since she first announced her candidacy and helped craft her digital outreach in the 2014 primary, primary runoff, and general election campaigns. Since that time, Vici has worked across the country on high-profile races involving the United States Senate and House of Representatives. Vici specializes in developing specific messaging and delivering content to targeted audiences which translates to voter engagement.
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