INSIDE POLITICS: PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS

NEW JOBS

Margaret Jongeward Joseph and Jonathan R. Schwantes have recently joined Clark & Weinstock, a public affairs firm. Joseph was formerly the Washington, D.C. finance director to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Schwantes served as general counsel to Sen. Herb Kohl, D- Wis., on the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee.

Lee Godown and Jason Hill have joined Democratic communications firm Public Strategies, based in Austin, Texas. Godown was formerly chief of staff to Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif. He will be a managing director in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Hill most recently served as a senior staffer to Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.

The National Association of Manufacturers gained a new deputy director of the trade group's policy division in Arie Newhouse, a former legislative director for Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio. Newhouse had worked for Voinovich since 1999 and was named his chief of staff in 2005.

Former Rep. Chris John, D-La., is leaving D.C. for Louisiana to serve as head of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. He is leaving his position as a lobbyist at Ogilvy Government Relations, formerly known as the Federalist Group. John was only one of two Democrats at the otherwise all-Republican firm. There is some speculation that John may be moving back to run for office. He lost a U.S. Senate bid in 2004 to Sen. David Vitter, R-La.

Political analyst Michael Barone has joined the conservative American Enterprise Institute for Policy Research as a resident fellow. The co-author of the Almanac of American Politics and senior writer at U.S. News & World Report will continue to study politics and government at AEI.

Wilson Research Strategies, a Republican polling firm, has announced its two newest vice presidents: Tyler Harber and Byron Allen. Harber, the firm's vice president and political director, will head the political research and consulting team. While Republicans nationwide were losing in 2006, Harber's team at Public Opinion Strategies-where Harber and Allen worked most recently-managed the research for four winning U.S. Senate races, six governors and 46 members of Congress. Allen, the vice president of methodology and advanced analysis, will manage internal operations. Allen has directed research for House races in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Nebraska, as well as managing corporate and public affairs research.

Smart Media Group, a D.C.-based Republican media firm, has announced the opening of its new office in Dallas. The media buying and consulting firm has also hired three staffers to fill the office: Amber Lyons, Ian Samuel and Paul Winn. Lyons will serve as director of operations, Winn will serve as a planner and buyer and Samuel will serve as media research director.

Chris Schloesser has been named vice president at Democratic direct mail firm Winning Strategies, based in the Washington, DC. office.

Greg Haifley has been named the new associate director of federal government relations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. He previously worked with People for the American Way.

FIRM CHANGES

The Republican communications firm Adfero Group has announced its new homeland security public affairs practice, which will be headed up by Chris Battle, the firm's vice president since January. "Traditionally, homeland security [and] law enforcement organizations have kept a low profile when it comes to the public and the media," Battle told C&E. "But in the changing landscape, more and more of these organizations are realizing they have to be able to ask to play in this environment."

Before joining Adfero, Battle served as chief of staff for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security. He also served as director of public affairs for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Democratic media consultants Tad Devine and Julian Mulvey are founding their own Washington, D.C. -based firm that will specialize in creating and producing television ads for Democratic candidates. Devine Mulvey is expected to open in the fall. Devine was previously a partner at Democratic media consulting group Shrum, Devine & Donilon. Mulvey previously ran the eponymous Julian Mulvey Group.

Greener &. Hook is joining Take '08 Events Unlimited, the company working to maximize the attendance at the 2008 Republican National Convention. The addition of Greener & Hook to Take '08 brings Republican consultants William Greener III, Michael Hook and Ed Brookover to the team. Greener was the 1996 convention manager for the Republican National Convention. Hook served as assistant convention manager at the same event. Brookover has overseen the national political operations at the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

David Waid left his position as chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party on Aug. 10 so that he can devote his full attention to Ziemba Waid Public Affairs, the firm he founded with partner Tom Ziemba. The Phoenix-based firm offers political consulting as well as government affairs strategies and advice on grass-roots and coalition building.

A new Republican media firm has been formed, with the intention of having just one client: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Much like Maverick Media in 2004, Midnight Ride Media is comprised of veteran party media consultants who will work solely to get Romney's message out and on your TV. The firm includes Alex Castellanos of National Media, Larry McCarthy of McCarthy Marcus Hennings and Brian Todd and Curt Anderson of OnMessage Inc. Alex Gage, Romney's director of strategy, will manage the firm.

Young Voter Strategies has integrated with Rock The Vote to mobilize the youth vote. The melding of the two groups will combine Young Voter Strategies' "research and outreach with Rock The Vote's long history of work to build political power for young adults," according to a press release, which said that Rock The Vote will launch a campaign this fall to register two million young voters in 2008.

PARTY LINES

Hannah August has joined the communications team at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She previously worked in the office of Sen. Bob Menendez, D-NJ. August comes to the DSCC after Deputy Communications Director Deirdre Murphy left at the end of June.