Jim Jordan (United States politics)

Jim Jordan (born January 26, 1961) is a Democratic political strategist. He has managed, advised, and professionally consulted for Democratic political candidates at the national, state, congressional, and local levels since 1996.

Jordan grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1983 and received his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1986. Prior to entering politics, he worked in non-profit fundraising.

In 1996, Jordan began his career in politics as the Communications Director for then-Congressman Tim Johnson in his successful run against incumbent South Dakota Senator Larry Pressler.

After moving to Washington, Jordan worked as Communications Director for Senators Robert Torricelli and John Kerry. During the 1997 hearings on the Bill Clinton re-election campaign’s fundraising practices, he managed strategy and communications for Chairman John Glenn and Minority Leader Tom Daschle for the Democrats on the Senate Government Affairs Committee. He was retained by House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt to advise Judiciary Committee Democrats during the 1998 Impeachment hearings.

During the 2000 and 2002 election cycles, Jordan served as Communications Director, Political Director, and finally as Executive Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Over the course of his tenure, the DSCC helped engineer a surprise six-seat pick up in 2000 and mitigated the political damage in the very difficult post-September 11th atmosphere during the 2002 cycle.

Jordan managed Senator John Kerry’s political operation for more than five years. He directed the strategic planning during the run-up to Kerry’s 2004 presidential run. Jordan served as Kerry’s Campaign Manager until November 2003.

Upon his departure from the Kerry campaign, Jordan founded his own strategic and communications shop, The Thunder Road Group. He has advised Democratic candidates at the House, Senate, gubernatorial and local levels. He counts as clients a variety of independent political efforts (527 groups, 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations, party committees, and independent expenditure programs), progressive interest groups, professional trade organizations, and corporations.

Mr. Jordan splits his time between Washington, DC, and Peru, VT. His wife, Lara Jakes Jordan, is a reporter for the Associated Press. He is the father of two teen-aged children, Marilyn and Patrick.