Institute of Politics

Scott Jennings

CNN Political Contributor, Republican Strategist & Founding Partner of RunSwitch Public Relations

  • Fall 2020 Pritzker Fellow

  • Seminar Series: “2020: An Election Unlike Any Other”

    Seminars

Scott Jennings is the Founding Partner of RunSwitch Public Relations, Kentucky’s largest PR and public affairs firm, providing senior-level communications, media relations, and crisis management counsel to clients the world over. Scott’s unique ability to analyze data and reconcile it with gut-level political instincts makes him a valuable contributor to clients and to CNN, which made him an on-air Political Contributor in June 2017.

The foundation of Scott’s career is journalism. He started over 20 years ago as a reporter and news anchor in Louisville, Kentucky, and writing and broadcasting has underpinned every stop on his path. Today, in addition to his work for CNN, he writes columns for the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Louisville Courier-Journal, among others. Scott has appeared on countless radio and television programs and is one of the most quoted political analysts in the country. Scott is visible on the lecture circuit, delivering briefings to trade associations and corporate boards.

Scott served in four presidential campaigns and in numerous federal and state races. He served in key roles for President George W. Bush’s campaigns in 2000 and 2004, before becoming Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs. Scott’s White House portfolio involved political appointments, including roles in confirming two Supreme Court Justices (Roberts and Alito). He advised on the President’s domestic travel and briefed the President, Vice-President, and senior-level White House officials. He advised the campaigns of Mitt Romney in 2012 and Jeb Bush in 2016.

Seminars

“2020: An Election Unlike Any Other”

Presidential campaigns have always been unpredictable, but 2020’s has redefined the term. From President Trump’s earlier-than-ever launch of his reelection bid, to Joe Biden’s dramatic come-from-behind victory in the Democratic primary, to the global pandemic that has sidelined traditional campaign strategies and tactics for most of this year, academics, practitioners, and historians are going to be studying the 2020 election for decades to come.

But the final chapters of the story are still to be written. In this seminar, join two campaign veterans and special guests as they provide real-time commentary and insight as the 2020 general election comes to its conclusion and epilogue. Jennings and Demissie will use the opportunity that this unpredictable, unprecedented campaign provides to explore and explain how the elements of modern campaigns work and how they may be changing forever.

Contact Form

Have Questions?

Newsletter Form

Stay Informed

Our emails are the best way to keep up-to-date on all of our events and programming.

Subscribe