Marc Short Chief of Staff, Vice President Pence
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MARC SHORT CHIEF OF STAFF, VICE PRESIDENT PENCE u Life in Brief Quick Summary Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA Lifelong conservative GOP operative who rose through party ranks to become a trusted Mike Current Residence: Arlington, VA Pence confidante. Utilizes expansive network of Koch allies, White House staff, and congressional Education ties to push Administration priorities • BA, Washington & Lee, 1992 • MBA, University of Virginia, 2004 • Polished and pragmatic tactician who plays a behind-the-scenes role advising Vice President Family: Pence and other senior leaders • Married to Kristen Short, who has • Early conservative political views shaped By his worked for Young America’s Foundation, father, Dick Short, a wealthy GOP donor well- Freedom Alliance, and the Charles G. connected to Virginia GOP circles Koch Foundation • Extensive experience with Freedom Partners and • Three school-aged children the Koch Brothers exposed him to large network of GOP donors and influencers Work History • Earned reputation as smart strategist on the Hill • Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the working closely with then-Rep. Mike Pence United States, 2019-Present • Provided GOP estaBlishment credentials and • Senior Fellow at UVA Miller Center of congressional experience to Trump White House PuBlic Affairs, 2018-19 to advance Administration’s early agenda, • Contributor for CNN, 2018-19 including on 2017 tax cuts and Neil Gorsuch’s • Partner at Guidepost Strategies, 2018-19 confirmation to the Supreme Court • White House Director of Legislative • Devout evangelical Christian Affairs, 2017-18 • • President of Advance Strategies, LLC, Approach and Motivations 2016 • Communications Adviser to Mike Pence, Practical, calculated tactician after years on Hill Trump for President 2016 • Senior Advisor, RuBio For President, • Years working on the Hill earned him close 2016 relationships with lawmakers and political savvy • Executive Director of Freedom Partners, to enact legislation 2008-16 • Chief of Staff for House RepuBlican Influenced by Christian faith and upbringing in Conference (R-IN), 2009-11 conservative household • Chief of Staff for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX), 2006-09 • Political Beliefs rooted in early life growing up in • McGuire Woods Consulting, unknown conservative household with politically active dates father who Believed in “more freedom and less • Spokesperson, Dept. of Homeland government” Security, 2001-03 • Guided By deeply held Christian Beliefs; credits • President, Young America’s Foundation, Oliver North with helping him shape his faith and unknown accept Christ • Finance Director for Oliver North for Senate, 1994 • PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 1 MARC SHORT CHIEF OF STAFF, VICE PRESIDENT PENCE Policy Positions and Areas of Focus • Played key role in passage of the 2017 tax bill, Stints in the Senate and as head of Freedom operating as the White House’s liaison to Partners shaped his establishment-leaning Congress and relying on strong congressional views on free trade, tax policy, and relationships to adjudicate key issues immigration Counteracting Liberal Bias – Consistent Core Communities interest throughout career Koch Organizations & Conservative Donor • Started conservative magazine at Network – Largely credited with building and Washington & Lee called The Spectator, operating the Koch political financial network designed to counter the liBeral values he • Emily Seidel, CEO of Americans for Prosperity, Believed faculty promoted worked for him under Pence • As leader of Young America’s Foundation, • Wife Kristen Short has worked for several stated goal was focusing on Reagan era and conservative groups including the Young his legacy to comBat liBeral Bias on college America’s Foundation, Freedom Alliance, and campuses the Charles G. Koch Foundation • Dallas millionaire Doug Deason has long ties Immigration Reform – Views somewhat to him as a Koch donor and through the Rubio shifted between Senate and White House campaign in 2016 • Worked with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R- • Richard RiBBetrop, former SVP at Freedom TX) on Bill estaBlishing temporary guest Partners, initially hired him at the Koch group worker program without path to citizenship, • Andy Koenig worked with him at Freedom in attempt to forge moderate solution; Partners as senior policy advisor partnered with Pence in the House • As VP Pence’s chief of staff, calls for federal Congressional & Establishment GOP – Strong funding for Border security and detention Hill connections to GOP members and staff facilities • Worked at Guidepost Strategies alongside Phil Cox, former Executive Director of RepuBlican Free Trade – History of advocating for free Governors Association (RGA) and reciprocal trade • Worked as close advisor to Sen. Marco RuBio • At Freedom Partners, waged campaign (R-FL) during the 2016 GOP primary against Export-Import Bank (EIB), claiming it • Former House Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. interfered with free market and hurt small Mark Meadows (R-NC) worked with him and Businesses complimented his legislative judgment • Between leading White House legislative • Executive Director of Senate Conservatives office and Becoming Pence’s Chief of Staff, Fund, Mary Vought, worked with him at the formed Trade Works for America, a 501(c)(4) House GOP Conference that has pushed for passage of the United • Rachel Semmel, Communications Director at States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) OMB, worked with him at House GOP • Argues that countries taking advantage of Conference US markets should allow for US to have the same opportunities in their markets Virginia/UVA Alum Conservatives – Born and raised in Virginia and exposed to state’s Low Taxes – Has worked inside and outside conservative politics at young age government to fight tax increases and push • Comes from family of wealthy conservative for more tax cuts donors • At Freedom Partners, criticized legislation increasing gas tax, arguing it would hurt lower income Americans By acting as regressive tax and increasing gas prices 1 PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 2 MARC SHORT CHIEF OF STAFF, VICE PRESIDENT PENCE u Core Communities Cont. Federal – Senate Candidates • First foray into politics came during Oliver • Has donated over $15,000 to GOP Senate North’s failed campaign for one of Virginia’s US candidates since 1994 including Martha Senate seats; considers North a mentor McSally, Marshal BlackBurn, Marco RuBio, Ben • Prominent UVA alumni including Rich Lowry, Sasse, Shelley Moore Capito, George Allen, Kate OBenshain, Tom Saunders, and former Sharon Angle, John McCain, and Oliver North Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli puBlicly defended Short’s fellowship with the Federal – GOP PACs school’s puBlic policy and presidential-history • Has donated over $20,000 to GOP-aligned research center after two professors resigned PACs since 1994 including KOCHPAC, Senate in protest of his appointment Conservatives Fund, Defend America PAC, • Virginia Beach GOP activist Gary Byler is a and Great America Committee close family friend Media Appearances Selected Publications Favors cable news to argue in favor of Trump Wrote about policy issues while at Freedom Administration priorities, particular on trade Partners policy as Chief of Staff to VP Pence Editorial – Frequently penned advocacy op-eds during stint with Freedom Partners Cable News – Often supports President Trump’s • “The Bank we don’t need,” Los Angeles Times, agenda on major networks July 2015 • CNBC: Squawk on the Street: Spoke aBout • “Giving Billions to the Rich,” New York Times, importance of passing trade deal with China NovemBer 2015 prior to 2020, July 2019 • “Congress must keep its spending promise to • BloomBerg Markets: Spoke aBout the USMCA Florida taxpayers,” The Gainesville Sun, trade deal’s Benefits and concern about the SeptemBer 2015 House not putting it on the floor for a vote, • “The Bank we don’t need,” Los Angeles Times, June 2019 July 2015 • Fox News: Fox News Sunday: Touted President Trump’s 2017 agenda and upcoming 2018 agenda priorities on infrastructure, DecemBer 2017 Financial Disclosures and Donations History of donating to GOP candidates and PACs Speaking Engagements Conservative/Academic – Speaks about Compensation Sources (Exceeding $5,000) – conservative youth activism and political Provided consulting services to several GOP experience in the Trump White House candidates and conservative interest groups • Speaker at National Conservative Student • CluB for Growth Conference where he touched on campus • NRSC activism and free speech, August 2018 • Marco RuBio for President • Spoke at Washington Term Speaker Series at • Susan B. Anthony List Washington & Lee University aBout serving in • Mike Pence for Indiana the Trump Administration, January 2019 • General Electric • Mike Pompeo for Congress PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 3 K MARC SHORT CHIEF OF STAFF, VICE PRESIDENT PENCE Profiles Others Have Written Info From Formative Years Profiles have focused on his personal life and Early exposure to conservative politics growing professional career as well as his credentials up in politically well-connected household as an experienced Hill operative • Son of Dick Short, a wealthy insurance executive and Backer of conservative causes Bill Bartel: “Virginia Beach native Marc Short • Influenced By father’s politics, particularly his follows father’s footsteps to a key post in Trump view that less government is essential for White House,” The Virginian-Pilot, April 2017 progress • Profile covered his family Background and the • Oliver