David Plouffe, 41, was raised in Wilmington, Delaware. He was a political science major at the University of Delaware from 1985-1988, a semester short of graduating when he opted for a career in politics. He went to work for Senator Tom Harkin‘s 1990 reelection campaign and was state field director for Harkin’s unsuccessful 1992 presidential bid.
From 1997-1998 he served as Democratic leader Dick Gephardt‘s Deputy Chief of Staff. From 1999-2000 he was the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, raising $95 million for House races across the country.
In 2000 he joined AKP&D Message and Media and become a partner in 2004. It was from here that he and a fellow partner, David Axelrod were tapped to work with Barack Obama on his 2004 Illinois Senate campaign. The association continued and Plouffe is credited with Obama’s successful overall strategy in the 2008 presidential race.
Plouffe was credited with maintaining discipline over communications in the campaign, controlling leaks and releasing information. No publicity hound, he was successful at holding things in check while managing to avoid the publicly aired squabbles that frequently plague other campaigns, including McCain’s.
In his acceptance speech, Obama said: “To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.”
Plouffe and his wife have a young son and are expecting a second child at any moment. The new baby was due on election day.
Will there be a place in the Obama White House for Plouffe? Very likely.
Photo gallery below.
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