Trump's staff

SOUTH CAROLINA
Co-Chair Ed McMullen
(reported as co-chair by The State's Andrew Shaun on March 10, 2015; reported as advisor by the Washington Post's Robert Costa on Feb. 25, 2015) President of McMullen Public Affairs LLC, based in Columbia. 25 year career in public policy, politics, and business. President of the South Carolina Policy Council, a conservative think tank through 2007. Experience also includes chairman of the S.C. Research Centers of Economic Excellence Review Board. Bachelor's degree in political science from Hampden-Sydney College.
Co-Chair John Russell
(reported as co-chair by The State's Andrew Shaun on March 10, 2015) Former state legislator; served in the SC House representing Spartanburg from 1983-87, then in the SC Senate until retiring in 2000. Assistant to the President Pro Tem of the U.S. Senate, Sen. Strom Thurmond in 1981; staff counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in 1981. J.D. from St. Mary's of Texas Law School, 1978; B.A. in history from the University of South Carolina, 1973. Son of former Gov. Donald S. Russell.
State Director Rep. James H. Merrill
(reported Feb. 25, 2015 as political advisor) Member of the House, elected in 2000; represents District 99-Berkeley and Charleston Counties;served as House Majority Leader from 2004-Dec. 2008. Owner of Geechie Communications since 1994. District administrator for U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, 1994. Political director for the South Carolina Republican Party, 1992-98. Press secretary to U.S. Rep. Floyd Spence, 1989-92. B.A. (1989) and M.P.A. (1992) from University of South Carolina. Resident of Daniel Island. Originally from Florida.

Political Director Jeff Taillon
(announced May 6, 2015) Campaign manager on Henry McMaster for Lt. Governor, April 2014-Jan. 2015. Director of advance (Sept. 2012-April 2014) and press assistant (Jan. 2011-Sept. 2012) for Gov. Nikki Haley in the South Carolina Office of the Governor. General aide on Nikki Haley for Governor, Aug. 2009-Nov. 2010. B.S. in business and behavioral science from Clemson University, 2009. twitter
Field Director Gerri McDaniel
(announced May 6, 2015) Active role in the campaigns of several successful city and county political candidates. 7th CD field director on Newt Gingrich's 2012 campaign. Grassroots activist on the SC GOP 2010 Victory campaign. Co-founder of the Myrtle Beach Tea Party and is the organizer of the annual SC Tea Party Coalition Conventions. twitter

Upstate Regional Director James Epley
Owner of Arbor GreenBuilders LLC on Hilton Head Island, SC; 25 years of real estate development experience. Regional director/chairman for Beaufort County on NEWT 2012. B.S. in economics and political science from Western Carolina University, 1990.
Coalitions Director Nancy Mace
(announced Aug. 25, 2015) Mace runs The Mace Group, a small consulting business she started in 2008 and is a commercial realtor. She ran for U.S. Senate in the June 10, 2014 Republican primary challenging Sen. Lindsey Graham and finished fourth with 6.2% of the vote. Worked for Accenture, the management consulting firm. Master's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Georgia. First woman to graduate from The Citadel (degree in business, 1999); author of In the Company of Men: A Woman at The Citadel. twitter

Gavin Smith
twitter
South Carolina Steering Committee
100-person steering committee announced on July 9, 2015.