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Ascenders

B.J. Koohmaraie

Policy Director,
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise

Brooke Butler

National Political Director,
DCCC

Brooke Scannell

Chief of Staff,
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark

Emily Ackerman

Deputy Floor Director,
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer

Jim Goyer

Director,
White House Office of Public Liaison

Lea Bardon

Director,
White House Office of Cabinet Affairs

Nd Ubezonu

Floor Director,
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries

Reema Dodin

Chief of Staff,
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)

Robert Edmonson

Minority Staff Director,
House Oversight Committee

Walker Barrett

Assistant to President Donald Trump,
Senior Policy Adviser for Chief of Staff Susie Wiles

Disrupters

Alex Latcham

Executive Director,
Senate Leadership Fund

Catherine Fuchs

Chief Adviser,
Senate Majority Leader John Thune

Elizabeth Falcone

Chief of Staff,
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)

Josh Vlasto & Zac Moffatt

Leading the Future

Mike Smith

President,
House Majority PAC

Nick Barbash

Legislative Director,
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.)

Omri Ceren

Senior Adviser,
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)

Sergio Gor

Ambassador to India,
Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Affairs

Sriram Krishnan

Senior Policy Adviser on Artificial Intelligence,
White House

Tiffany Guarascio

Minority Staff Director,
House Energy and Commerce Committee

Establishment

Cesar Gonzalez

Chief of Staff,
Rep. Mario Diaz Balart (R-Fla.)

Chris Bigelow

Minority Staff Director,
House Appropriations Committee

Courtney Butcher

Member Services Director,
Speaker Mike Johnson

Don Sisson

Minority Staff Director,
House Rules Committee

Eric Zulkosky

Chief of Staff,
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise

Gary Myrick

Secretary for the Minority

James Blair

Deputy Chief of Staff,
White House

Jamie Fleet

Senior Adviser,
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries

Stefanie Muchow

Senior Adviser,
Senate Majority Leader John Thune

Warren Gunnels

Minority Staff Director,
Senate HELP Committee

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B.J. Koohmaraie

Policy Director,
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise

BEST KNOWN FOR

As policy director for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Koohmaraie has a lot of say over everything that comes across the floor, from taxes to energy, and a role in deciding what doesn’t. Koohmaraie has risen quickly through the Hill ranks, having served as chief counsel on the House Oversight and Energy and Commerce committees.

WHAT TO WATCH

Scalise keeps a close watch on tech policy efforts, like kids protection or artificial intelligence regulatory issues. Koohmaraie is Scalise’s eyes and ears on the topic, and he has a particular affection for tech, given his time on E&C and his work on the TikTok divestment law.

Brooke Butler

National Political Director,
DCCC

BEST KNOWN FOR

Butler has held several positions at the DCCC before becoming the national political director for the 2026 cycle. In the 2022 cycle, Butler was a regional political director who oversaw impressive wins in Ohio, especially. Butler later moved on to work for the committee’s independent expenditure arm.

WHAT TO WATCH

Butler has one of the most important jobs in politics this cycle; she’s in charge of landing candidates that Democrats hope will help them retake the majority and advising campaigns of incumbent Frontline members. A persuasive recruiter, Butler is good at convincing candidates in deep-red territory to run for Congress.

Brooke Scannell

Chief of Staff,
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark

BEST KNOWN FOR

Scannell has been advising Democratic Whip Katherine Clark for 21 years, since she was on the Melrose School Committee. Scannell is a jack of all trades and people refer to her as the “House’s pitbull.” Scannell is a force who understands policy, comes from a communications background, is a master at building relationships and knows how to manage her team in a way that works to the benefit of her boss.

WHAT TO WATCH

If Democrats win the majority, Clark will likely be elevated to House majority leader. That means Scannell will have even more power to push Democrats’ agenda, including childcare affordability — a key issue for her boss. Scannell is also key in Democrats’ whip operation and aligning members with leadership priorities.

Emily Ackerman

Deputy Floor Director,
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer

BEST KNOWN FOR

Ackerman has survived in one of the toughest staff jobs in the House – deputy floor director for Majority Whip Tom Emmer. No whip operation in recent memory has had a narrower margin to work with than this one. Before Emmer’s office, Ackerman worked on the House Rules Committee under Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and as senior adviser to Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.).

WHAT TO WATCH

The House’s margin has only shrunk with time and special elections, meaning the whip’s job has just gotten harder. Ackerman and the rest of the whip team will be under significant pressure to hold back Republican members on important floor votes related to tariffs, trade and defense policy.

Jim Goyer

Director,
White House Office of Public Liaison

BEST KNOWN FOR

An alumnus of President Donald Trump’s first term, Goyer is back in the White House’s Office of Public Liaison — this time as its director. That means Goyer is answering the front door for any constituency or interest group that might come knocking. During Trump’s first term, Goyer served as the office’s deputy, a stint that capped off a nearly four-year run with the administration. Before returning to the White House in January 2025, Goyer spent the intervening years working in investment management at Goldman Sachs.

WHAT TO WATCH

The nature of Goyer’s role often means he’s fielding policy concerns — including from C-suite level executives looking to bend the president’s ear about various administration actions. Goyer will continue serving as a critical sounding board for companies and other stakeholders.

Lea Bardon

Director,
White House Office of Cabinet Affairs

BEST KNOWN FOR

Bardon quickly rose to the position of director of Cabinet Affairs, where she acts as a liaison between President Donald Trump and his Cabinet. Bardon’s ascent to the White House comes after previous stints at the America First Policy Institute and the Republican Attorneys General Association.

WHAT TO WATCH

Bardon stamped her place in the Trump orbit when she worked on the president’s 2020 reelection campaign. Bardon joined a number of AFPI alumni who transitioned to roles in the second Trump administration, and she seems likely to continue her rise in the president’s world.

Nd Ubezonu

Floor Director,
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries

BEST KNOWN FOR

Ubezonu learned the ins and outs of the House chamber from her work with then-Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. Now she is the floor director for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, working closely with the Democratic Caucus to gauge support before bills come up for a vote. It’s also a role that requires Ubezonu to work closely and forge connections with Republicans as she’s in the thick of the action on the House floor.

WHAT TO WATCH

If Democrats take the House next year, Ubezonu will be in charge of informing Jeffries of caucus support for legislative priorities and vote counts. That job gets harder if moderate candidates win in deep-red territory, creating a big-tent party with a wide diversity of ideologies.

Reema Dodin

Chief of Staff,
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)

BEST KNOWN FOR

It’s not easy to leave a top posting in the White House Legislative Affairs Office to return to Capitol Hill. But Dodin did just that to take a job as chief of staff to leadership-ascendant Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and it’s already paying off. Schatz is almost certain to succeed Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) as the No. 2 Senate Democrat. Oh, did we mention that Dodin was Durbin’s floor director for nearly a decade and wrote a book about Senate procedure?

WHAT TO WATCH

With Schatz in prime position to succeed Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) as Democratic leader, Dodin will play a critical role in helping shape Schatz’s “lane” in Democratic politics at a time when the left is rebelling against the old guard. Like Schatz, Dodin is a creature of the Senate — obsessed with the sausage-making of legislative politics.

Robert Edmonson

Minority Staff Director,
House Oversight Committee

BEST KNOWN FOR

Edmonson served as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s personal office chief of staff for a decade and brings an encyclopedic knowledge of how to wield power in the House. Edmonson joined Rep. Robert Garcia’s (D-Calif.) staff in 2023 as chief of staff. Garcia’s career has shot off like a rocket, as the fresh-faced member quickly became the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. Edmonson is the Democratic staff director on the panel.

WHAT TO WATCH

Edmonson is front and center in the House Oversight Committee’s investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. Oversight Democrats played a huge role in forcing the disclosure of the Epstein files by getting Republicans on board with critical subpoenas over the summer. Now, as the documents continue to be published, Democrats are pouncing on any connections to President Donald Trump and the GOP. If Democrats flip the House, the Oversight Committee will be the on frontlines of investigating President Donald Trump’s administration.

Walker Barrett

Assistant to President Donald Trump,
Senior Policy Adviser for Chief of Staff Susie Wiles

BEST KNOWN FOR

Barrett made his bones as a policy wonk with over a decade of experience on Capitol Hill, delving deeply into the defense and national security portfolio. After joining the Trump administration last year as a senior director for defense policy at the National Security Council, he was quickly tapped to serve as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ senior policy adviser.

WHAT TO WATCH

Barrett and Wiles’ relationship goes back years — the two were once neighbors in Florida. That level of mutual trust and understanding, paired with Walker’s policy expertise and knowledge of the Hill, will solidify his status as a highly influential figure in the Trump administration. 

Alex Latcham

Executive Director,
Senate Leadership Fund

BEST KNOWN FOR

An integral part of President Donald Trump’s campaign team, Latcham was deputy political director for the 2024 campaign. Latcham has deep ties to Iowa and served as the Iowa GOP’s political director. In the first Trump administration, Latcham worked in the White House as a special assistant to the president. In 2021, Latcham worked on Trump’s leadership PAC before Trump officially launched his comeback presidential bid.

WHAT TO WATCH

Latcham is running the Senate Leadership Fund, the top GOP super PAC dedicated to protecting the Senate majority. While the political environment looks foreboding for Republicans, SLF is planning to play offense in Michigan and Georgia. Latcham is tasked with making sure the White House and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are marching in lockstep. It’s no easy task, as evidenced by the friction between Thune and Trump in Texas and Louisiana. But it’s fair to say Latcham’s SLF is far less oppositional to Team Trump than the Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) operation.

Catherine Fuchs

Chief Adviser,
Senate Majority Leader John Thune

BEST KNOWN FOR

Fuchs’ track record with banking policy and the Senate is extensive. She first joined the Senate Banking Committee staff under Sen. Mike Crapo in 2019 and then worked for the Idaho Republican at the Senate Finance Committee as well. Fuchs later returned to Banking under current Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.), eventually becoming staff director. Fuchs joined Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s staff with a lot of experience working not only on economic policy issues, but also with key committees’ leadership.

WHAT TO WATCH

Fuchs is right in the middle of the fight to deliver on two of President Donald Trump’s top policy priorities of the moment: crypto and affordable housing legislation. The Senate is searching for a breakthrough on a crypto market structure bill, and the tax committees are preparing a bill to set rules for digital assets. Meanwhile, the House and Senate have been trying to pass a housing package. If Congress can work things out and pass crypto and housing bills, Fuchs will be central to the effort.

Elizabeth Falcone

Chief of Staff,
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)

BEST KNOWN FOR

As the longtime top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Mark Warner (Va.) spends much of his time dealing with some of the most sensitive national security and foreign policy issues. But his chief of staff is a domestic policy whiz, giving Warner a one-two punch that’s become increasingly rare in the Senate. Falcone’s depth of policy knowledge, especially on health care, has been an asset to Senate Democrats as a whole throughout her 15-plus years working for Warner.

WHAT TO WATCH

Warner will cruise to reelection this year, extending his Senate tenure at a time when the deal-making middle is being hollowed out. Warner has traditionally been part of that group, but as Democrats nationwide push their party to be more adversarial toward Trump, this cadre of senators has been quieter on the bipartisan deal-making front. But that could change quickly, and Falcone will be at the center of it.

Josh Vlasto & Zac Moffatt

Leading the Future

BEST KNOWN FOR

Vlasto, a onetime top aide to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, helped make 2024 into the crypto election. The Fairshake political effort he worked with dropped more than $100 million into races, a once-unthinkable amount. Moffatt, meanwhile, is an alumnus of Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential run who founded Targeted Victory, the digital agency at the intersection of GOP politics and corporate America.

WHAT TO WATCH

For 2026, Vlasto and Moffatt are poised to spend nine figures, this time on behalf of artificial intelligence through super PAC Leading the Future. (Vlasto is also still a spokesperson for the crypto political efforts.) That’s a huge sum for a midterm on behalf of the trillions of dollars worth of companies that they’re trying to secure positive treatment for.

Mike Smith

President,
House Majority PAC

BEST KNOWN FOR

Smith was a top adviser to Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) during her speakership and worked at the DCCC, both as a senior adviser and the deputy executive director. In 2023, at the request of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Smith took the reins of House Majority PAC, the super PAC blessed by House Democratic leadership. Smith served as a bridge from the past to the future as Jeffries replaced Pelosi as the leader of House Democrats. At HMP, Smith is known for his political acumen and financial prowess, which enables him to engage with both members of Congress and donors.

WHAT TO WATCH

During Smith’s tenure, HMP has scaled up its involvement in the Democratic ecosystem, taking on a larger role in messaging, research, advertising and recruitment. HMP has seen record fundraising over the past few years, breaking an off-year record in 2025. Of all the top Democratic super PACs and party committees, HMP was the only one to keep pace with its GOP counterpart last year. If House Democrats reclaim the majority in November, Smith and HMP will be a big part of that.

Nick Barbash

Legislative Director,
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.)

WHAT TO WATCH

A key creative force on Sen. Tim Kaine’s (D-Va.) team, Barbash has revived arcane Senate procedural tools to develop a strategy that allows a single senator to influence and control the floor. With Barbash’s guidance and research, Kaine has become a trendsetter in using these tactics and finding ways for Democrats, even in the minority, to assert their authority. His superpower? Mastery of Senate procedure.

WHAT TO WATCH

Barbash plays a central role in helping other Senate offices understand and use the procedural tools at their disposal, some of which haven’t been utilized in the modern era. He shows no signs of slowing down. Kaine remains focused on strengthening Congress’ oversight authority, particularly on issues like tariffs and war powers, areas where that institutional muscle has weakened over time.

Omri Ceren

Senior Adviser,
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)

BEST KNOWN FOR

Ceren is one of the few Senate aides with a robust following on X, but don’t hold that against him. Ceren is a whip-smart foreign policy mind and one of the most important figures in Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) orbit. His official title is senior adviser for policy and communications. But Ceren plays an outsized role in Cruz’s chairmanship of the Senate Commerce Committee, too, giving him the ability to influence several key policy areas.

WHAT TO WATCH

Cruz ran for president a decade ago, and the Texas Republican is already taking steps toward a 2028 White House bid. One of the ways Cruz is distinguishing himself from the pack is with his public push to root out antisemitism on the right. Ceren is a key architect of this effort, and, should there be a Cruz administration, the sky’s the limit for Ceren’s policy portfolio.

Sergio Gor

Ambassador to India,
Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Affairs

BEST KNOWN FOR

Gor’s rise in Trump world has been meteoric. The former top aide to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) left the Hill in 2020 to work for President Donald Trump and never looked back. Gor was appointed to lead the presidential personnel office at the start of Trump’s second term, giving him a ton of power over who got picked for some of the most prized positions in the administration. His stint included a high-profile feud with Elon Musk. Gor now serves as U.S. ambassador to India.

WHAT TO WATCH

At just 39 years old, Gor has a long runway ahead of him still. And as a highly capable political operator, it’s a bad idea to bet against him. But as is the case for so many in Trump’s orbit, the outcome of the 2028 Republican presidential primary — and, in turn, the direction of the post-Trump GOP — will help determine how much influence those like Gor will continue to wield.

Sriram Krishnan

Senior Policy Adviser on Artificial Intelligence,
White House

BEST KNOWN FOR

Krishnan plays a pivotal role in shaping policy and working on artificial intelligence in the White House as a senior adviser. Krishnan worked on the Trump administration’s “AI Action Plan” and represents the United States in AI summits around the world. Krishnan has an extensive background working in tech, including co-hosting a podcast about technology with his wife and previously working at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

WHAT TO WATCH

Krishnan has potential to largely influence AI innovation as the technology becomes more prominent in the United States and globally. The future policies that come out of the administration will be something to watch as Krishnan aims to help the United States win the AI race with China. Krishnan has advocated for American leadership in shaping AI guidelines.

Tiffany Guarascio

Minority Staff Director,
House Energy and Commerce Committee

BEST KNOWN FOR

Guarascio first joined Rep. Frank Pallone’s (D-N.J.) office more than two decades ago and is a constant presence, accompanying him to votes, hearings and key press conferences. As ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Pallone has a vast portfolio that touches everything from health care to Big Tech. Guarascio is Pallone’s most trusted aide and, as minority staff director for the panel, a key influence over Democrats’ policy prerogatives.

WHAT TO WATCH

As a long-time Hill aide who has worked her way up the ranks, Guarascio is fluent in both the inside and outside game it takes to score policy wins, especially in divided government. But if Democrats retake the House, expect a lot more action out of Energy and Commerce on everything from tech and privacy policy to significant oversight of the administration – including the FCC – and private sector.

Cesar Gonzalez

Chief of Staff,
Rep. Mario Diaz Balart (R-Fla.)

BEST KNOWN FOR

Gonzalez is a two-decade House veteran who’s been Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart’s (R-Fla.) chief for nearly 15 years. Gonzalez is a uniquely powerful chief who’s key to appropriations negotiations and trusted to serve as a proxy for his boss. Gonzalez previously worked for Diaz-Balart’s older brother on the House Rules Committee – a time that was crucial in ingraining him in both the House and the Diaz-Balart orbit.

WHAT TO WATCH

Diaz-Balart is poised to become the next House Appropriations Committee chair, which will position Gonzalez in an even more powerful role. Even in the meantime, Diaz-Balart is one of current House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole’s (R-Okla.) closest cardinals, meaning Gonzalez will continue to play an outsized role in appropriations negotiations.

Chris Bigelow

Minority Staff Director,
House Appropriations Committee

BEST KNOWN FOR

Bigelow has more than 20 years of experience in the House, spending the last three years in one of the most demanding jobs on the Hill – staff director of the House Appropriations Committee. Early in his career, Bigelow worked for House Appropriations Chair Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) before becoming the panel’s current ranking member, Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s (D-Conn.) Defense Appropriations clerk. Bigelow played a pivotal role in passing four supplemental funding bills to support Ukraine, a supplemental to respond to the Jan. 6 insurrection, natural disaster funding bills and bills to support Afghan evacuees.

WHAT TO WATCH

If Democrats win the House majority in this year’s midterms, Bigelow will take the reins of the storied panel in the majority for the first time. DeLauro is likely to aggressively push back against the Trump administration’s spending cuts and impoundment attempts, which Bigelow will execute. Bigelow’s defense experience will also be key as Congress considers President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion budget request and keeps up action in Venezuela and the Middle East.

Courtney Butcher

Member Services Director,
Speaker Mike Johnson

BEST KNOWN FOR

Butcher is one of the longest-serving staff members focused on member services in the Republican House. She started in 2017 with the House Education and Labor Committee under Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), moved to the House Republican Conference under Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) in 2021 and was one of Speaker Mike Johnson’s first hires in 2023. She’s a former seventh-grade teacher, which we imagine helps quite a bit with the current job.

WHAT TO WATCH

Member wrangling won’t get much easier between now and the next Congress. When every vote counts, no member can be ignored. Johnson’s operation is the nucleus of the House Republican Conference. And Butcher is at the center of it all.

Don Sisson

Minority Staff Director,
House Rules Committee

BEST KNOWN FOR

A true master of the House, Sisson possesses legendary expertise of the House Rules Committee. Sisson has over 20 years of experience working for the Democratic Rules staff. Sisson has been the Democratic staff director for Rules since 2016, working for both former Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and current Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).

WHAT TO WATCH

Keep an eye out for how House Democrats continue to use procedural know-how to force the GOP majority into tough votes. Sisson flanks McGovern at every turn in the Capitol and is a top strategic adviser for the Massachusetts Democrat. Sisson was the mastermind behind the Democratic discharge petition strategy this Congress. The party achieved a big win when it successfully cleared the three-year ACA tax credits extension through the House. With a razor-thin GOP majority, anything could be next — even a rare vote to defeat the previous question.

Eric Zulkosky

Chief of Staff,
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise

BEST KNOWN FOR

Tapped in October to be House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s new chief of staff, Zulkosky boasts a deep history with the Louisiana Republican. Zulkosky worked for Scalise from 2011 to 2017 in a variety of roles, including legislative director and director of member services. Zulkosky decamped to Fierce Government Relations for eight years; he then returned as floor director for Scalise in June 2025 and took over once former chief of staff Brett Horton departed.

WHAT TO WATCH

A key test will be how well Zulkosky keeps GOP lawmakers on side. Zulkosky has steadied the Scalise operation amid the departures of several high-profile senior aides. Zulkosky must successfully navigate member relationships amid the GOP’s razor-thin majority, the narrowest in modern history.

Gary Myrick

Secretary for the Minority

BEST KNOWN FOR

Nothing happens on the Senate floor without Myrick’s involvement — and for good reason. Myrick is a Senate lifer, with nearly 40 years of experience working under the past four Democratic leaders. Myrick is the Senate Democratic floor secretary, a job he’s had since 2011 spanning two Democratic leaders: Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer. Myrick has daily decorous clashes with Robert Duncan, the GOP floor secretary, as they essentially run the Senate floor. Before that, Myrick was Reid’s chief of staff and was a Senate floor assistant for the two previous Democratic leaders: Tom Daschle and George Mitchell.

WHAT TO WATCH

Myrick’s importance stretches far beyond loyalty to a particular leader, but rather loyalty to the institution itself. So a leadership shakeup in 2026, 2028 or 2030 shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a sign that Myrick is heading for the exits.

James Blair

Deputy Chief of Staff,
White House

BEST KNOWN FOR

Blair has risen quickly through the ranks to the peak of political power within President Donald Trump’s inner orbit. Blair was political director of the president’s successful 2024 campaign, and now navigates implementing Trump’s legislative agenda while planning his 2026 midterm agenda — and trying to keep Republican lawmakers in alignment with the president’s priorities. Blair has spearheaded aggressive GOP efforts for mid-decade redistricting, which have resulted in Democrats clapping back with aggressive district redraws of their own.

WHAT TO WATCH

Limiting defections. Congressional losses for Trump are rare in the second term, thanks in large part to Blair’s efforts. He successfully helped get through the GOP’s landmark reconciliation tax package — and limited Republicans breaking from the party on recent high-profile votes like on tariffs and war powers.

 

Jamie Fleet

Senior Adviser,
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries

BEST KNOWN FOR

As Democratic staff director for the House Administration Committee since 2007, Fleet knows more than anyone about the inner workings of Capitol Hill. The panel’s far-reaching jurisdiction touches on everything from members’ expense allowances to the Smithsonian Institution to oversight of federal elections. Fleet was also the top staffer for the Jan. 6 Select Committee.

WHAT TO WATCH

Fleet’s most important role is the least public one – serving as a senior adviser to then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and current House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. If Democrats win back the House, Fleet will be integral to ensuring a smooth transition as Jeffries and his leadership team take over in a divided government.

Stefanie Muchow

Senior Adviser,
Senate Majority Leader John Thune

BEST KNOWN FOR

A Senate institution herself, Muchow has two decades under her belt working in Senate Republican leadership. After serving as then-GOP Leader Mitch McConnell’s operations chief, Senate Majority Leader John Thune knew he had to keep her around. Muchow was at McConnell’s side pretty much every time he walked from his office to the Senate floor — and it was no accident. From foreign leader visits to lying in state ceremonies and the State of the Union, Muchow is the one pulling the strings for some of the biggest moments on the Hill.

WHAT TO WATCH

Muchow is “Ms. Fix It,” in the words of one Republican senator. The choreographer of history-making events inside the Capitol, added another. Those weren’t going to stop happening when McConnell ended his record-breaking tenure as GOP leader. And Muchow’s institutional knowledge has helped Thune navigate several key moments already in just a year-plus as McConnell’s successor.

Warren Gunnels

Minority Staff Director,
Senate HELP Committee

BEST KNOWN FOR

Gunnels is the top policy hand to the most prominent progressive in America. Gunnels has worked for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) since 1999, when Sanders was still a member of the House. And if you’ve ever watched a clip of Sanders grilling witnesses at committee hearings, Gunnels is always sitting right behind him. In addition to multiple stints as the Senate Budget Committee’s staff director, including overseeing the passage of multiple reconciliation bills, Gunnels was the top policy adviser for both of Sanders’ presidential campaigns.

WHAT TO WATCH

When Sanders claimed the HELP Committee gavel in 2023, Gunnels was the obvious choice to serve as staff director. Gunnels holds the same position today, with Sanders as the ranking member. The 84-year-old Sanders was just reelected in 2024, and there’s no reason to believe that Gunnels will leave before his boss does. And the odds of another Democratic Senate majority before the end of Sanders’ term are pretty good — giving Gunnels another huge opportunity to shape the domestic policy agenda.