Brendan Buck, Seven Letter
Brendan Buck is one of Washington’s top communications strategists and a trusted political analyst. Having served two consecutive Speakers of the House, he was at the center of many of this era’s biggest policy and political battles. Brendan is currently a Partner at Seven Letter, a Washington and Boston based public affairs firm. Previously, he spent twelve years on Capitol Hill, all in the House. Frequently quoted in print and a familiar face on television, Brendan is a Political Analyst for MSNBC and NBC News and is regularly sought out for his insights and commentary on politics and the issues of the day. In 2022, he was a Resident Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics.
Kevin Carey, New America
Kevin Carey is the Vice President of Education and Work at New America and directs the Education Policy program. Carey has written news and feature articles for the New York Times, Washington Post Magazine, TIME, Vox, WIRED, The New Republic, Highline, Slate, Chronicle of Higher Education, and other publications. He also edits the annual Washington Monthly college guide. Prior to joining New America, Carey worked as the policy director of Education Sector and as an analyst at the Education Trust and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. He has also worked for the Indiana Senate Finance Committee and as Indiana’s assistant state budget director. Carey has a master’s degree from the Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University.
Jennifer Rubin
Jennifer Rubin writes reported opinion for The Washington Post. She covers politics and policy, foreign and domestic, and provides insight into the conservative movement, the Republican and Democratic parties, and threats to Western democracies. Rubin, who is also an MSNBC contributor, came to The Post after three years with Commentary magazine. Prior to her career in journalism, Rubin practiced labor law for two decades, an experience that informs and enriches her work. She is the author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy from Donald Trump” and is host of the podcast Jen Rubin’s “Green Room.”
David Winston, The Winston Group
David Winston is the president of The Winston Group, a strategic planning and survey research firm in Washington, DC. Winston has served as a strategic advisor to Senate and House Republican leadership for the past 15 years. He was formerly the Director of Planning for Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and advises center-right political parties throughout Europe. Additionally, Winston was a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation where he did statistical policy analysis and econometric modeling. His writings have appeared in a variety of publications, and he authored the chapter on Strategy for the college textbook, “Campaigns and Elections American Style.” He is credited for originating the concept of “security mom” and played a key role in developing the narrative “where are the jobs” for the 2010 election cycle. Winston is an election analyst and part of the election decision desk for CBS News, as well as a weekly columnist for Roll Call.