More experienced political hands will allow a campaign to more easily rev up. Cruz feeds 2016 buzz with hires

Ted Cruz is beefing up his political staff as speculation heats up that the Texas senator may run for president in 2016.

The Republican firebrand is adding muscle to his campaign and political operations to help Cruz and his staff keep up with the growing political demands on Cruz since he arrived in the Senate in 2013 and achieved fame — or notoriety, depending on one’s view.


Joel Mowbray, a consultant for a foreign policy think tank, has been volunteering for the political operation and “will end up playing a role” on the paid political staff, the adviser said. Nick Muzin, a former top House Republican Conference aide that now works in Cruz’s congressional office as a deputy chief of staff, will be working on coalitions building and outreach for Cruz’s political operation.

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Jason Miller, who’s advised prominent conservatives like Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), has been brought on to “to put together a more robust communications operation,” the adviser said, while longtime GOP presidential campaign hand and Axiom Strategies founder Jeff Roe has been brought on board to build out the political organization. Lauren Lofstron will work on fundraising. Those three hires were first reported by the Washington Examiner.

Chip Roy, Cruz’s chief of staff, also received $1,100 in July for political consulting for the senator’s leadership PAC — though this is not Roy’s first work on the political side for Cruz, the adviser said. Both GOP Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida have moved their chiefs from their congressional offices to their political operations — but Roy isn’t going anywhere yet.

Several Cruz aides sought to dispel rumors that Roy is stepping away from Cruz’s congressional office to engage in politics full-time. Roy remains Cruz’s chief of staff, they said.

“[Cruz’s] leadership, his travel, the positions he’s taken; all of the above have created a real demand. We are making sure we are adding new resources,” a Cruz adviser said Thursday evening. “The only way to achieve change is to build a robust grassroots army,” the adviser added, which “takes a lot of work.”

Though Cruz has not announced that he will run for president, the work of several more experienced political hands in his shop will allow a 2016 campaign to more easily rev up. And most tapped-in Republicans inside and outside Washington believe Cruz is indeed eyeing the White House, with his growing sway on the right, increased visibility stumping for conservative candidates and a book on the way for 2015.