Incoming Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairwoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL, 17th) announced key staff hires for the 2020 election cycle.
Two of her picks have worked for her before. Incoming Executive Director Allison Jaslow managed Bustos’ 2012 campaign and was her chief of staff from 2013 to 2015. Jaslow, a former Army Captain who served in the Iraq War, most recently led the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).
Bustos also tapped her current deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director Jared Smith to head the DCCC’s communications division. Smith joined her staff in 2015 after working on Anthony Brown’s gubernatorial campaign. Before that, he was the communications director in Sen. Gary Peters’ (D-MI) House of Representative’s office.
The chairwoman also promoted two current DCCC staffers. Jalisa Washington-Price will be chief of staff. Prior to serving as diversity director, she worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign in Ohio and South Carolina.
Deputy Digital Director Ryan Thompson will take the helm of the digital division as chief digital officer after rising through its ranks for four years.
“The DCCC did amazing work in 2018 to win 40 seats. Our challenge is to build on that progress, to fortify and expand our majority,” Bustos said in a statement. She continued, “With this first round of cornerstone hires, we are laying the foundation for a successful 2020 election cycle.”