US politicians start own political consulting firm

The political director and communications direct of the Republican Governors Association are leaving their posts to found their own politically inspired consulting firm. The two, Ken McKay and Gail Gitcho, have established McKay-Gitcho Strategies, a US consultancy that will focus on political campaigns and political advice to corporations.

The two have worked together on a number of projects since 2009. They first met when Mckay was the chief of staff at the Republican National Committee and Gitcho was the press secretary for the 2010 midterm elections, under the then Chairman Michael Steele.

Gitcho has worked for prominent republican governors and senators, supporting Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) as spokeswoman and as the official communications director for Senator Scott Brown’s (R-Mass.). Before this she was on the House side of the late Florida Representative Clay Shaw. In 2012 Gitcho was the communications director for the presidential campaign of former Bain & Company CEO Mitt Romney.

McKay has held several roles in which he facilitated the overrun of blue states by republican incumbents. In 2002 he managed the winning campaign in his Rhode Island home state for the Donald Carcieri. Gong on to be his chief of staff and helping Carcieri’s re-election in 2006. Besides his help in political campaigns, Mckay also was the chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party. McKay was further the senior adviser for Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) as well as being the senior strategist for Rick Scott’s Florida win in 2010.

McKay, in his role as director of the Republican Governors Association, oversaw an increase in Republican governorships coming to control Democratic leaning states, from 29 to 31 this year. This election cycle overseeing the addition of blue states Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts to the red. As part of his role, he was instrumental in the spending of more than $100 million in 36 contested constituencies.

Scott, who just won re-election in Florida, said in a statement that McKay and Gitcho will be “sorely missed” at the Republican Governors Association (RGA).