“The DCCC did amazing work in 2018 to win 40 seats. Our challenge is to build on that progress, to fortify and expand our majority," DCCC chair Cheri Bustos said. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Elections Bustos taps ex-chief Jaslow as new DCCC executive director

Newly elected Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Cheri Bustos has named Iraq combat veteran Allison Jaslow, her former chief of staff, as the committee's new executive director for the 2020 election cycle.

Jaslow oversaw Bustos' first campaign in 2012, when the Illinois Democrat defeated an incumbent Republican. Jaslow then served as the top staffer in Bustos' congressional office, helping her win reelection in 2014.


More recently, Jaslow was the executive director of the nonprofit Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which supports post-9/11 veterans.

“Allison Jaslow, as the next Executive Director of the DCCC, is quite literally a battle-tested leader who understands what it takes to win tough races, lock down swing seats and run major organizations,” Bustos said in a statement provided first to POLITICO. “Our goal is to develop and run a world class political operation. I am confident with today’s announcement, we will be on our way to doing just that.”

Bustos also named Jalisa Washington-Price as DCCC chief of staff, Ryan Thompson as DCCC chief digital officer and Jared Smith as the DCCC's new communications director.

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Bustos will be tasked with maintaining Democrats new won 235-seat majority. House Democrats netted 40 seats in the 2018 elections under the direction of former chairman Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.).

“The DCCC did amazing work in 2018 to win 40 seats. Our challenge is to build on that progress, to fortify and expand our majority," Bustos said.

“America's strength has always come from our diversity. That's why I'm committed to building a leadership team that reflects the tremendous diversity of our House Democrats and our nation," Bustos added. "With this first round of cornerstone hires, we are laying the foundation for a successful 2020 election cycle."