Steve Hildebrand
Encyclopedia
Steve Hildebrand is a Democratic political strategist based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
. He was the deputy national campaign director of Barack Obama
's 2008 presidential campaign
.
.
In 2005, Hildebrand joined with Paul Tewes
to form Hildebrand Tewes Consulting, a campaign consulting firm with offices in Washington, D.C.
and Sioux Falls. In 2004 he was the campaign manager
for U.S. Senator Tom Daschle
's (D-SD) losing re-election effort against U.S. Representative John Thune
(R-SD). He was also campaign manager in U.S. Senator Tim Johnson's (D-SD) winning re-election campaign in 2002 and Al Gore
's 2000 Iowa Caucus victory. He has served as Executive Director of the South Dakota and Minnesota Democratic Parties and Political Director of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
. He returned to his private consulting firm following Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election
. After the election Hildebrand defended Obama against left-wing criticism of his centrist cabinet picks in a controversial commentary for the Huffington Post.
Hildebrand worked briefly for Kendrick Meek
in his 2010 candidacy for U.S. Senate from Florida
, after a triumphant effort overseeing Obama's Florida campaign in the closing days of the 2008 election. Abe Dyk has since taken over as campaign manager.
Hildebrand has indicated that he might challenge Representative
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in the 2010 Democratic primary
, if her vote scuttled health care reform
. Hildebrand is advising Rapid City
physician Kevin Weiland's 11th-hour campaign for South Dakota's Democratic U.S. House nomination.
Hildebrand is gay
.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
. He was the deputy national campaign director of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's 2008 presidential campaign
Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. On August 27, 2008, he was declared nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election...
.
Biography
Hildebrand grew up in Mitchell, South DakotaMitchell, South Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,558 people, 6,121 households, and 3,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,475.7 people per square mile . There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of 664.4 per square mile...
.
In 2005, Hildebrand joined with Paul Tewes
Paul Tewes
Paul Tewes is a Democratic strategist specializing in national political organizing in the United States.Tewes was the Iowa state director for Barack Obama's presidential campaign, and continued after the Iowa caucus to lead Obama's field operations in key states such as Nevada, Ohio and Pennsylvania...
to form Hildebrand Tewes Consulting, a campaign consulting firm with offices in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Sioux Falls. In 2004 he was the campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
for U.S. Senator Tom Daschle
Tom Daschle
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
's (D-SD) losing re-election effort against U.S. Representative John Thune
John Thune
John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:...
(R-SD). He was also campaign manager in U.S. Senator Tim Johnson's (D-SD) winning re-election campaign in 2002 and Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
's 2000 Iowa Caucus victory. He has served as Executive Director of the South Dakota and Minnesota Democratic Parties and Political Director of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States Senate. It is the only organization solely dedicated to electing Democrats to the United States Senate. The DSCC's current chair is Sen. Patty Murray, who succeeded Sen. Robert Menendez following...
. He returned to his private consulting firm following Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. After the election Hildebrand defended Obama against left-wing criticism of his centrist cabinet picks in a controversial commentary for the Huffington Post.
Hildebrand worked briefly for Kendrick Meek
Kendrick Meek
Kendrick Brett Meek is an American politician who was the U.S. Representative for from 2003 to 2011. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2010 Senate election for the seat of Mel Martinez, but he lost in a three way race to Republican Marco Rubio along with Independent Charlie Crist.-Early life,...
in his 2010 candidacy for U.S. Senate from Florida
United States Senate election in Florida, 2010
-Polling:-Results:-Background:Upon Senator Martinez's announcement that he would not run for reelection, early speculation surrounded former Governor Jeb Bush. It was thought that if Bush decided to run, other potential Republican candidates would allow Bush to run uncontested...
, after a triumphant effort overseeing Obama's Florida campaign in the closing days of the 2008 election. Abe Dyk has since taken over as campaign manager.
Hildebrand has indicated that he might challenge Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in the 2010 Democratic primary
United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota, 2010
The 2010 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota took place on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Voters selected a representative for their single At-Large district, who run on a statewide ballot...
, if her vote scuttled health care reform
Health care reform in the United States
Health care reform in the United States has a long history, of which the most recent results were two federal statutes enacted in 2010: the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act , signed March 23, 2010, and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 , which amended the PPACA and...
. Hildebrand is advising Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
physician Kevin Weiland's 11th-hour campaign for South Dakota's Democratic U.S. House nomination.
Hildebrand is gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
.