Looking Ahead
Near Term
Our Take
The last week of August saw perhaps the best example of the current cognitive dissonance of American politics. This refers to the twin events of Senator McCain’s funeral and the Florida Gubernatorial primary. The primary, which took place on August 28th, resulted in the election of two politicians that come from each parties’ respective bases, and who both beat more moderate, centrist candidates. This result needs to be viewed against the ethos of bipartisanship, compromise and rebuttal of tribal politics that was the centerpiece of Senator McCain’s funeral and the commentary that surrounded it. While people claim they want politicians that are willing to embrace the American ideals of compromise, they seem to be continuously electing individuals who instead satisfy a different ideal, that of “fighting” for ideological purity. Whether this dichotomy will break anytime soon will be determined in fifty-six days.
In a recent article for Inside Health Policy, Thorn Run Partners’ Senior Vice President Shea McCarthy discussed the GOP’s Preexisiting Conditions Protection Bill and its signal towards the end of the GOP’s ability to use the Affordable Care Act as a strategic rallying message. “If last year’s ‘repeal and replace’ effort offered a lens into the GOP’s nuanced positions on Obamacare, the introduction to enshrine the law’s key consumer protections bring those distinctions into even clearer focus,” said McCarthy. “As the Trump administration backs a lawsuit that would gut the law’s insurance reforms, this cadre of ideologically-diverse Republicans are sending the clearest signal to date that they support many of the ACA’s key tenants.” Additionally, McCarthy astutely pointed out that while debates over the law’s subsidy structure may continue over time, “It’s difficult to contemplate at this point another serious effort to undo the ACA root and branch.”
A recent article for The Islander News cites Thorn Run Partners’ Jim Davenport for his role in securing Congressional support in adding the Village of Key Biscayne to Miami-Dade County’s federal beach restoration project. Village Council Member Gary Gross credited Davenport’s role in securing the a letter signed by members of the Miami-Dade Country Congressional Delegation — including Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Mario Diaz Balart (R-FL) and Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) — to the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expressing their support for the beach restoration efforts. “We support of the Village’s and County’s efforts to have the Key Biscayne shoreline included in the Dade County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project,” the letter states. “We also support the Village’s request to participate in Section 111 of the Continuing Authorities Program, which authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to initiate investigations and studies in the interest of mitigation of shore damage attributable to Federal Navigation work.”
An article written by Thorn Run Partners’ Stuart Chapman and Andrew Rosenberg was featured in the Political Science Applied journal last month. The piece, entitled “Lobbying Congress in Today’s Washington,” examines the shift in the perception of lobbyists in Washington, D.C., from “legislation crafters,” to intricate policymakers rooted in advocating for a client’s cause. Chapman and Rosenberg outline the transformation of modern lobbying, suggesting a form of legislative action that is guided by policy specialists who use expansive knowledge, strong communication with various organizations, and recruit the interests of stakeholders in the drive for change. The authors note that this approach to advocacy operations has helped Thorn Run achieve sector-leading growth, making TRP far from a one-dimensional firm.
In an Inside Health Policy article published on Wednesday, June 6, Thorn Run Partner’s Vice President Shea McCarthy discussed HHS Secretary Alex Azar’s recent indication that the HHS will not block “silver-loading” of insurance plans for 2019. As Mr. McCarthy explained, “while the Trump administration’s approach to ACA implementation has led many advocates to embrace the notion that HHS would seek to undermine Obamacare at all costs, Secretary Azar’s decision to embrace the practice of ‘silver-loading’ sends a slightly different signal.” As he pointed out further, the administration likely recognizes the political implications of significant premium increases coming during the height of election season, and may be sensitive to the fact that they could invite further scrutiny by taking additional steps that would increase costs.
A new article from the Santa Maria Times highlights the work of Thorn Run’s Greg Burns in securing federal funding to support community projects. The article touts Burns' work in representing the city of Santa Maria, crediting him for his efforts on issues including water resources, transportation and infrastructure, and public safety. “City officials credit [Greg] Burns with helping secure federal funding for community projects like the rehabilitation of the Santa Maria River Levee, which provides flood protection and relief from flood insurance premiums for more than half of the city,” the author writes. “Other projects include construction of the Santa Maria Public Library and Santa Maria Area Transit Center.”
For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Bates, (503) 927-2032
Thorn Run Partners (TRP) announced today the promotion of Elizabeth Remley to Partner. Remley is part of the firm’s Portland, OR office where she has led state legislative efforts for numerous firm clients since 2012. Remley specializes in Oregon government relations services with well over a decade of deep relationships in the Legislative and Executive Branches.
Yesterday's Politico Influence newsletter — the leading government relations beat in Washington, D.C. — covered the addition of Thorn Run's newest partner Jim Davenport. In an interview with Politico, Davenport complimented TRP's "very innovative" strategic communications practive TRP Engage, and also touted the firm's health care and financial services practices. Prior to joining Thorn Run, Davenport was a managing partner at Alcade & Fay where he represented cities, counties, school districts, airports, navigation districts and independent tax authorities.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Andrew Rosenberg, (202) 247-6301
Thorn Run Partners (TRP) announced today the addition of Jim Davenport as Partner in their Washington, DC office. Davenport comes to Thorn Run from Alcalde & Fay, where he specialized in representing local governments and other public entities for over 18 years. Davenport’s addition to Thorn Run follows the recent addition of Partner Greg Burns and Vice President Mary Scott Hardwick, both of whom brought a strong pedigree in representing local governments in Washington.