Ken Spain, the founder of Narrative Strategies, had worked at high levels in Republican politics and corporate comms before starting his own strategic communications firm. He worked for the Bush/Cheney re-elect in 04, on the Hill for three different GOP members, at a senior position at the NRCC campaign committee, for the Private Equity Council during the tumultuous 2012 elections, & running corporate communications for Koch Industries. In this conversation, Ken talks his path through GOP politics, his perspective as a Hispanic operative, starting a bipartisan communications firm, and much more.
IN THIS EPISODE…
Ken grows up in Richard Nixon country in Southern California as the son of Reagan Democrats…
Ken breaks into politics working in California legislative politics…
Ken talks helping the George W. Bush re-election campaign carry New Mexico in 2004…
What Ken's learned from mentor Ken Mehlman, manager of the 2004 Bush campaign…
Ken spearheads an effort to help the private equity industry defend itself as it’s attacked during the Mitt Romney presidential campaign…
Ken talks lessons and tips learned from working for 3 members on Capitol Hill…
Ken’s breaks down the differences in a well run Hill office versus a poorly-run office…
Ken’s experience as a Hispanic operative working in GOP politics…
Ken’s take on why Trump overperformed expectations among Latino voters in 2020…
Ken’s level of optimism that California Republicans can start winning statewide soon…
Ken contrasts working at the NRCC in the Dem wave year of 2008 versus the GOP wave in 2010…
Ken talks his time running corporate communications for Koch Industries…
Ken’s analysis of what’s often misunderstood about the Koch Brothers’ approach to politics…
Ken talks the founding of Narrative Strategies and the firm’s growth over the past few years…
Ken’s best practices for developing a professional network…
AND 100 hours of focus groups, the 210 freeway, Americans for Prosperity, arcane business models, Bain Capital, Bernalillo County, Tony Blair, Blue Dogs, John Boehner, Rick Boucher, Brexit, Bobby Bright, British Victorian History, Scott Brown, Lois Capps, classical liberalism, Clovis, Tom Cole, community colleges, Mike Conaway, Charlie Cook, dark money, Gray Davis, Tom Davis, Danny Diaz, David Dreier, Larry Elder, flip-floppers, Fullerton, James Gandolfini, Newt Gingrich, Ari Gold, Barry Goldwater, Scott Jennings, jumpballs, Las Cruces, the Latino Summit, Bob Margett, Mary Queen of Scots, Mike McCaul, Kevin McCarthy, Ken Mehlman, moving down the dais, Gavin Newsom, Jim Oberstar, David Obey, Leon Panetta, pension funds, The Private Equity Council, pumpjacks, Harry Reid, Richard Riordan, Santa Barbara, Steve Schmidt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pete Sessions, John Shadegg, Bill Simon, Ike Skelton, John Spratt, surprise medical billing, Dave Wasserman, Wichita, Pete Wilson…& more!