Des Moines’ GPS Consulting Shop Expands In Iowa, National Politics

By Pat Rynard

March 20, 2017

GPS Impact, the Des Moines-based political consulting operation, is expanding its reach once again in Iowa and national politics with several new hires. Trent Schacht, a well-known Iowa digital strategist, is joining the Iowa office. Julia Rosen, their new Director of Digital Strategy who held top positions at ActBlue and MoveOn.org, will be based in Brooklyn. And communications strategist Channing Ansley Grace and Brandon Davis, who served as SEIU’s political director and the DNC Chief of Staff, will head up their new D.C. office.

Founded in Des Moines in 2013 by Mark Langgin, Jim Kottmeyer and Roy Temple, GPS now has additional offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Kansas City, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Lawrence. They’ve worked on campaigns and causes in 45 different states. One of their most noteworthy clients this past cycle was Priorities USA, one of the main national Democratic Super PACs, who they did media for. GPS is now up to a staff of over 30 people between their various offices.

After Derek Eadon was elected the chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, he dissolved his Bluprint Consulting business, which was home to many issue advocacy campaigns and employed a number of Iowa operatives. That’s left some room in the Iowa political scene to fill, which GPS is capitalizing on.

“Over the last four years, we’ve had tremendous success helping candidates and causes across the country get results and win – with digital communications solutions customized to their strategic goals,” said GPS Impact partner and co-founder Jim Kottmeyer. “By offering beautifully designed and compelling content – with the strategy and analytics to back it up – the demand for our services has grown exponentially. These new team members will give our clients access to unmatched digital and communications expertise, and further cement GPS Impact’s position as a leading integrated online communications firm.”

This is good news for Iowa Democratic staffers and campaigns for a number of reasons.

With Democrats controlling so few of Iowa’s statewide and federal offices, there simply aren’t that many places for campaign staffers coming out of an election to go to work. That’s led to a very serious brain drain as we lose qualified staffers with on-the-ground Iowa experience. GPS’s success in building up more national clients is a boost to keeping those people around, which in turn benefits Iowa campaigns by having access in the future to experienced Iowa operatives.

See more at their website, GPSImpact.com.

by Pat Rynard
Posted 3/20/17

Pat Rynard

Pat Rynard founded Iowa Starting Line in 2015. He is now Courier Newsroom's National Political Editor, where he oversees political reporters across the country. He still keeps a close eye on Iowa politics, his dog's name is Frank, and football season is his favorite time of year.

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