Jeff Roe
Encyclopedia
Jeff Roe is a Republican
political consultant and principal of Axiom Strategies, a political consulting firm located in Kansas City
, Missouri
. He formerly served as Chief of Staff, campaign manager, and longtime aide for U.S. Rep
Sam Graves
. Jeff Roe is most known for his controversial campaign techniques and has earned a reputation as a “sharp-elbowed” political operative. His political consulting firm, Axiom Strategies, has won numerous national awards. Roe regularly provides commentary for news outlets and publications such as The Washington Post, Roll Call, Politico and radio stations such as KMBC and WPHT.
. He grew up on his family’s farm and became an Eagle Scout before joining the Army at age 16. Following his service, he graduated from Northwest Missouri State University. He currently lives with his wife, Melissa Roe, in Kansas City, Missouri.
His political career began in 1994, working for then-Missouri State Representative Sam Graves. Following Sam Graves’ election to State Senate and then United States Congress in 2000, Roe became Graves’ Chief of Staff. Ingrams Magazine, a Kansas City business publication, listed Roe as one of its ‘40 Under Forty’ in 2003.
In 2005, Roe left his position in Graves’ office and founded Axiom Strategies, a Republican campaign consulting firm. Roe’s firm worked for Governor Mike Huckabee
’s campaign for President in 2008, as well as managing the successful election efforts of several Missouri Congressmen.
In 2010, Roe and his consulting firm contributed to the election efforts of Congressmen Allen West (FL-22), Rick Crawford
(AR-1), Kevin Yoder
(KS-3), Blaine Luetkemeyer
(MO-9), Sam Graves
(MO-6), Billy Long (MO-7), Chuck Fleischmann
(TN-3), Jo Ann Emerson
(MO-8) and Senators Roy Blunt
(MO), Jerry Moran
(KS) and John Boozman
(AR). Roe also counted a number of high profile losing clients the same year including Wink Harman, Jim Barnett, Bill Stouffer
, Van Tran
, and Sheldon Fisher
. Roe was also instrumental in the failed campaigns of Georgia gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine
, and Connecticut gubernatorial candidateTom Foley
.
and Republican
parties because of negative campaign strategies – much of it from his defeated opponents, who have described him as “evil”.
In 2008, in Missouri’s 6th Congressional race between incumbent Sam Graves and challenger Kay Barnes
, Roe was the architect for an early negative campaign that led Roll Call to say, “blood is already dribbled along the campaign trail.” Some political ads produced by the Graves campaign were considered “about as sleazy and low as they come.” Graves handily defeated Barnes 59 percent to 37 percent.
Describing his campaign strategies, Steve Kraske and Mike Rice said: “What makes Roe different is just how far he goes. Not unlike President Bush’s strategist, Karl Rove, Roe’s approach has been compared to blunt-force trauma. His tactics range from the Penthouse spot to diving through the trash of a political foe.” In contrast to his harsher critics, Kansas City Star columnist Bill Graham argued, “Jeff Roe is simply doing what candidates pay him to do and what voters have endorsed repeatedly at the polls.” Journalist Barbara Shelly stated that Roe was the “consultant of choice for Republican candidates in Missouri who want to win at all costs.”
In 2011 Roe managed to maneuver the Missouri house into passing a resolution condemning a jet fighter built in the state.
was wrongfully dismissed from his position as a U.S. Attorney. It was discovered that Todd Graves’ firing was retaliation from Senator Kit Bond
’s office over Sam Graves’ refusal to fire Jeff Roe. Kit Bond ultimately apologized for his role in the firing. Press reports indicate that the intra-party feud was driven by personality as well as conflict between conservative elements represented by Roe and more moderate elements represented by Bond.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
political consultant and principal of Axiom Strategies, a political consulting firm located in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. He formerly served as Chief of Staff, campaign manager, and longtime aide for U.S. Rep
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
Sam Graves
Sam Graves
Samuel B. Graves, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district consists of Northwest Missouri and includes the portion of Kansas City north of the Missouri River and many northern suburbs.-Early life, education and career:Graves is a...
. Jeff Roe is most known for his controversial campaign techniques and has earned a reputation as a “sharp-elbowed” political operative. His political consulting firm, Axiom Strategies, has won numerous national awards. Roe regularly provides commentary for news outlets and publications such as The Washington Post, Roll Call, Politico and radio stations such as KMBC and WPHT.
Background
Roe is a native of Brookfield, MissouriBrookfield, Missouri
Brookfield is a city in Linn County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,542 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Brookfield is located at ....
. He grew up on his family’s farm and became an Eagle Scout before joining the Army at age 16. Following his service, he graduated from Northwest Missouri State University. He currently lives with his wife, Melissa Roe, in Kansas City, Missouri.
His political career began in 1994, working for then-Missouri State Representative Sam Graves. Following Sam Graves’ election to State Senate and then United States Congress in 2000, Roe became Graves’ Chief of Staff. Ingrams Magazine, a Kansas City business publication, listed Roe as one of its ‘40 Under Forty’ in 2003.
In 2005, Roe left his position in Graves’ office and founded Axiom Strategies, a Republican campaign consulting firm. Roe’s firm worked for Governor Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
’s campaign for President in 2008, as well as managing the successful election efforts of several Missouri Congressmen.
In 2010, Roe and his consulting firm contributed to the election efforts of Congressmen Allen West (FL-22), Rick Crawford
Rick Crawford (politician)
Eric Alan Rick Crawford is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. Before he was elected to Congress, Crawford was a radio announcer, businessman and U.S. Army veteran.-Early life and education:...
(AR-1), Kevin Yoder
Kevin Yoder
Kevin W. Yoder is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He was the Kansas State Representative for the 20th district from 2002 until 2011.-Early life, education, and career:...
(KS-3), Blaine Luetkemeyer
Blaine Luetkemeyer
Blaine Luetkemeyer is the U. S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district contains most of Northeastern Missouri. As a result of the 2010 Census Missouri will lose a Congressional district effective 2013...
(MO-9), Sam Graves
Sam Graves
Samuel B. Graves, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district consists of Northwest Missouri and includes the portion of Kansas City north of the Missouri River and many northern suburbs.-Early life, education and career:Graves is a...
(MO-6), Billy Long (MO-7), Chuck Fleischmann
Chuck Fleischmann
Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann is the U.S. Representative for . The district is based in Chattanooga and includes a large swath of East Tennessee, including Oak Ridge. He is a member of the Republican Party....
(TN-3), Jo Ann Emerson
Jo Ann Emerson
Jo Ann Emerson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. The district consists of Southeast and South Central Missouri and includes the Bootheel, the Lead Belt and the Ozarks. Emerson is a member of the Republican Party....
(MO-8) and Senators Roy Blunt
Roy Blunt
Roy D. Blunt is the junior United States Senator from Missouri. He is a member of the Republican Party. His Senate seat was previously held by Republican Kit Bond, until his retirement....
(MO), Jerry Moran
Jerry Moran
Jerry Moran is the junior U.S. Senator from Kansas and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing ....
(KS) and John Boozman
John Boozman
John Nichols Boozman is the junior U.S. Senator for Arkansas . A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. Representative for .Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he was the brother of state Senator Fay Boozman...
(AR). Roe also counted a number of high profile losing clients the same year including Wink Harman, Jim Barnett, Bill Stouffer
Bill Stouffer
Bill Stouffer is a farmer and small business owner. He is also currently a Republican member of the Missouri State Senate. He was born in Napton, Missouri and has resided in the 21st District all of his life...
, Van Tran
Van Tran
Van Thai Tran , born October 19, 1964) is an attorney and politician in California, formerly serving as a Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing portions of Orange County. Tran and Texas State Representative Hubert Vo were the highest-ranking Vietnamese American elected...
, and Sheldon Fisher
Sheldon Fisher
Sheldon Fisher is a former Alaska Communications Systems Senior Vice President. He was also a unsuccessful candidate in the 2010 Republican primary election for the United States House of Representatives against Don Young. Fisher lives in Anchorage, Alaska and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and...
. Roe was also instrumental in the failed campaigns of Georgia gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine
John Oxendine
John W. Oxendine is an American politician who served four terms as Insurance Commissioner of the U.S. state of Georgia. Oxendine is of Lumbee heritage, an Indian tribe from North Carolina. A member of the Republican party, he was first elected commissioner in 1994 and was reelected in 1998,...
, and Connecticut gubernatorial candidateTom Foley
Tom Foley
Thomas Stephen Foley was the 57th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1989 to 1995. He represented Washington's 5th congressional district for 30 years as a Democratic member from 1965 to 1995....
.
Controversial Tactics
Campaigns under Roe’s management have been the subject of criticism from both the DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
parties because of negative campaign strategies – much of it from his defeated opponents, who have described him as “evil”.
In 2008, in Missouri’s 6th Congressional race between incumbent Sam Graves and challenger Kay Barnes
Kay Barnes
Kay Waldo Barnes is a former two-term mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. She was the Democratic nominee for of the United States House of Representatives in the 2008 election against Republican incumbent Sam Graves.-Biography:...
, Roe was the architect for an early negative campaign that led Roll Call to say, “blood is already dribbled along the campaign trail.” Some political ads produced by the Graves campaign were considered “about as sleazy and low as they come.” Graves handily defeated Barnes 59 percent to 37 percent.
Describing his campaign strategies, Steve Kraske and Mike Rice said: “What makes Roe different is just how far he goes. Not unlike President Bush’s strategist, Karl Rove, Roe’s approach has been compared to blunt-force trauma. His tactics range from the Penthouse spot to diving through the trash of a political foe.” In contrast to his harsher critics, Kansas City Star columnist Bill Graham argued, “Jeff Roe is simply doing what candidates pay him to do and what voters have endorsed repeatedly at the polls.” Journalist Barbara Shelly stated that Roe was the “consultant of choice for Republican candidates in Missouri who want to win at all costs.”
In 2011 Roe managed to maneuver the Missouri house into passing a resolution condemning a jet fighter built in the state.
Dismissal of U.S. Attorneys Controversy
In 2008, Congressman Sam Graves’ brother Todd GravesTodd Graves
This article is about the U.S. Attorney. For the entrepreneur/restaurateur, see Todd Graves .Todd Graves was United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. He took his oath of office on September 17, 2001, initially as an interim United States attorney appointed by the U.S...
was wrongfully dismissed from his position as a U.S. Attorney. It was discovered that Todd Graves’ firing was retaliation from Senator Kit Bond
Kit Bond
Christopher Samuel "Kit" Bond is a former United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, he defeated Democrat Harriett Woods by a margin of 53%-47%. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004...
’s office over Sam Graves’ refusal to fire Jeff Roe. Kit Bond ultimately apologized for his role in the firing. Press reports indicate that the intra-party feud was driven by personality as well as conflict between conservative elements represented by Roe and more moderate elements represented by Bond.