Nick joins Hollywood political consultant

markjohnson — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:31:25 -0500

Brian Nick, who was chief of staff to former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, will open the Washington office for Hollywood-based Republican political consultant Fred Davis.

Davis was the media consultant for both Dole, a Republican, and GOP presidential candidate John McCain last year. He has a reputation for non-traditional television ads. Nick will be opening a new office for his firm, Strategic Perception, in the nation's capital.

"Fred is the most creative mind in the business," Nick said, acknowledging that Republicans likely face another difficult election year in 2010. "He offers the kind of out-of-the-box approach that's needed in this kind of environment."

Nick, an Indiana native, came to North Carolina in 2001 to gear up Dole's successful Senate run, leading a team of young aides who quickly gained a reputation for their uniform navy blazers. He served as Dole's communications director in both her Senate office and, in 2005 and 2006, when she was chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which coordinates Senate campaigns across the country. He was her chief of staff until her defeat in last year's election.

Davis has collected a healthy list of successful candidates, but he may be best known in North Carolina for a puzzling ad for Patrick Ballantine, the 2004 Republican candidate for governor, that resembled a scene from the movie "Firestarter."

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Nick joins Hollywood political consultant