Mike DuHaime joined Mercury Public Affairs after more than a decade of work running political campaigns all levels of American politics, including the highest-profile national campaigns. Mr. DuHaime is particularly noted for combining genuine grassroots politics with creative campaign communications, strategies and tactics. According to former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Ken Mehlman, “Mike DuHaime is a huge talent - politically smart, excellent manager, exceptional at grassroots and experienced at building and managing a hundred-million dollar budget.”
Most recently, Mr. DuHaime served as the lead strategist for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s campaign and was a member of the Governor’s Executive Transition Team and chaired its subcommittee on Authorities. Christie’s win marked the first Republican statewide victory in New Jersey since 1997 and the largest win for a GOP challenger since 1942.
Prior to that, he served as campaign manager for Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign, where he was the youngest campaign manager of a major presidential campaign in more than 30 years. Mr. DuHaime also served as political director for Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Mike previously served as political director for the Republican National Committee and as Regional Political Director for President George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign. As RNC political director, Mr. DuHaime oversaw field operations in dozens of states and more than 75 congressional districts. During his time, the RNC also aggressively enhanced its microtargeting efforts and trained nearly 1,000 professional operatives in a comprehensive campaign education program. As a Regional Political Director for Bush-Cheney ’04, Mr. DuHaime helped develop the national Get-Out-The-Vote and Election Day efforts and directed the day-to-day campaign operations in 11 Northeastern states.
Prior to working in national politics, Mr. DuHaime was the Executive Director of the New Jersey Republican State Committee and ran his own political consulting firm, winning more than 87 percent of the federal, state and local races in which he was involved. Even early in his career, Mr. DuHaime was recognized for his ability and success when Campaigns & Elections Magazine named him a “Rising Star in American Politics” at the age of 24.
Before opening his own consulting firm, Mr. DuHaime served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Congressman Bob Franks’ near upset U.S. Senate bid against Jon Corzine, in which Franks nearly pulled off the upset despite being outspent twelve to one. As the Vice-President of Political Communications in 1998 for Campbell & Pusateri, Ltd., a national Republican consulting firm, Mr. DuHaime designed paid media and mail strategies for races throughout the country. In 1997, Mr. DuHaime managed the New Jersey State Senate’s most highly targeted race leading Tony Bucco to victory in the primary and then defeating Democrat incumbent Senator Gordon MacInnes, despite being severely outspent in both races. Bucco was the only Republican to defeat an incumbent Democrat Senator in New Jersey in 16 years.
In addition to his campaign work, Mike now advises multiple Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, sports teams, corporations and non-profits in the areas of public relations, grassroots organization, strategic planning and marketing.
A graduate of Rutgers University in 1995 with a BA in both journalism and political science, Mr. DuHaime now teaches political science at his alma mater. He was a four-year skater on the Rutgers Ice Hockey team where he served as a captain for championship teams his junior and senior seasons.
Mr. DuHaime lives in Hoboken, NJ with his wife, Dore, and their two children.