Pro Politics with Zac McCrary The Unconventional Ascent of Liz Mair
Liz Mair has one of the more unusual career arcs in politics. Raised in both Seattle and London, she got her start working in conservative politics for David Cameron in the UK before moving to the US to work for the RNC and GOP candidates including Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina, Rick Perry, Scott Walker, and more. In this conversation, she talks her unconventional path to working in politics, her ascent in the digital political space, her time working around some of the leading Republican figures of the era, her work to try to beat back Donald Trump in the '16 primaries, and lessons and insights from one of the most creative thinkers in politics.
IN THIS EPISODE…
Liz’s unusual childhood bouncing between Seattle and London…
The school project that exposed Liz to campaign politics…
Liz’s first professional role in politics working for David Cameron and the UK Tory Party…
Liz talks similarities and differences between the UK Conservative Party and American Republicans…
How Liz transitioned from UK to US politics, working for the RNC in the ’08 cycle…
Liz’s experience with the McCain campaign, plus her memories of the Sarah Palin experience…
Liz’s take on GOP pols she’s worked with including Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina, Rick Perry, and Scott Walker…
The unsuccessful 2016 Republican presidential candidate Liz thinks will be president in her lifetime…
Liz talks lessons learned from her anti-Trump efforts in the 2016 GOP primaries…
The ad Liz thinks could’ve taken down Trump in ’16…
Rumors about the failed Rubio / Cruz alliance to stop Trump in 2016…
The mistakes that Liz sees campaign make…
Liz’s career advice to campaign operatives…
Liz’s strangest work habit…
AND Marc Ambinder, annoying bloggers, Joe Biden, billboards in Iowa, billing 110 hours a week, BlogHer, Cameronites, Ken Clarke, Kellyanne Conway, cranberry juice, Ted Cruz, Howard Dean, debt finance, deepest darkest Surrey, Danny Diaz, Elizabeth Dole, Mike Duncan, Euro skeptics, David Gauke, Rudy Giuliani, Maggie Haberman, Hewlett-Packard, the Hunt for the Red October, Amy Klobuchar, Cyrus Krohn, Medieval History majors, modern guys, NDAs, naps, National Review, Mike Nelson, Barack Obama, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Tim Pawlenty, Tina Podlodowski, Hercule Poirot, policy wonks at AEI, post-partum depression, RedState, the Republican Main Street Partnership, Tony Rezko, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Greg Sargent, Steve Schmidt, Allyson Schwartz, Sam Stein, stockbrokers and housewives, the stupidest person in the room, the Tea Party, Margaret Thatcher, Fred Thompson, token volunteering, Trump copycats, Elizabeth Warren, webcasts, the welfare state, Meg Whitman, Rick Wilson & more!