Denise Cardinal is the executive director of the left-of-center activist organization WIN Minnesota. 1 She has held communications and political roles for liberal candidates, causes, campaigns, and elected officials for more than 20 years. 2
Cardinal is also the director of the Democratic-aligned WIN Minnesota Political Action Committee, 3 4 an advisor to the left-of-center Committee on States, and a former employee of National Education Association (NEA) teachers’ union. 5 6
Career
Denise Cardinal is a Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota finance professional 7 and labor union and Democratic Party activist who has been the executive director of the left-of-center activist organization WIN Minnesota since February 2015. 8 She has held communications and political roles for left-progressive candidates, causes, campaigns, and elected officials for more than 20 years 9 and was recently the chair of the 2022 Fund (formerly known as the 2018 Fund), a left-of-center activist group in Minnesota. 10
In addition to her role at WIN Minnesota, Cardinal is also the executive director of the Democratic-aligned WIN Minnesota Political Action Committee. 11 12 She is an advisor to the left-of-center Committee on States to support other left-of-center state policy groups 13 and is the president of St. Paul-based Cardinal Insight consulting firm, where she works to “help progressive policies and candidates win.” 14 15
At Cardinal Insights, she works on issue and political campaign management, coalition managing, strategic communications, political communications, crisis communications, grassroots organizing, media relations, media training, writing, editing, research, and speechwriting. 16
In 2017 while still working at WIN Minnesota, Cardinal facilitated discussions at left-of-center Democracy Alliance’s 2017 national donor summit. 17 She has also participated in conference programming in other years. 18
Prior to joining WIN Minnesota, Cardinal was the executive director of the left-of-center ProgressNow and ProgressNow Education Fund from 2011 until 2013. 19
In 2006, Cardinal moved to Minnesota to be the communications director for left-of-center America Votes Minnesota. 20 She helped start the liberal 21 Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM) in 2007 and led the organization until 2010, in which ABM attacked Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer throughout the campaign, playing a major role in the election of Governor Mark Dayton (D-MN). 22 Cardinal was the senior press officer of the NEA, where she focused on the No Child Left Behind Act, from 2001 until 2005. 23 24
Conrad has also worked for former U.S. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) and has been on the board of directors for Minnesotans United for All Families, left-of-center Minnesota Voice, and the advisory board for the Funders Committee for Civic Participation (FCCP), a donor affinity group for left-wing voter engagement advocacy. 25
Prior to working in politics, Cardinal worked at newspapers in Nevada, Idaho, and Iowa. 26
Political Contributions
Denise Cardinal has made Federal Election Commission-reportable campaign contributions to U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and the left-of-center funding intermediary ActBlue. 27
Personal Information
Denise Cardinal holds a bachelor of the arts in communication, journalism, and related programs from Drake University. She was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, and lives in St. Paul. 28 29
References
- “Denise Cardinal.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisecardinal/.
- “Denise Cardinal.” Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://funderscommittee.org/staff-board/denise-cardinal/.
- Bui, Tiffany. “Ilhan Omar and Republican panelists break down midterm results.” Minnesota Daily. November 8, 2018. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://mndaily.com/233784/news/ctanalysis/.
- “WIN Minnesota Political Action Fund – 30625.” Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://cfb.mn.gov/reports-and-data/viewers/campaign-finance/political-committee-fund/30625/2018.
- “About Cardinal Insight.” Cardinal Insight. Accessed December 8, 2022. http://www.denisecardinal.com/about-cardinal-insight.
- “Denise Cardinal.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisecardinal/.
- Callaghan, Peter. “DFL-supporting independent expenditure campaigns far outraise GOP and candidates in Minnesota.” Minnesota Post. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2022/09/dfl-supporting-independent-expenditure-campaigns-far-outraise-gop-and-candidates-in-minnesota/.
- “Denise Cardinal.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisecardinal/.
- “Denise Cardinal.” Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://funderscommittee.org/staff-board/denise-cardinal/.
- “2022 Fund (fka 2018 Fund) 41144.” Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://cfb.mn.gov/reports-and-data/viewers/campaign-finance/political-committee-fund/41144/2018/.
- Bui, Tiffany. “Ilhan Omar and Republican panelists break down midterm results.” Minnesota Daily. November 8, 2018. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://mndaily.com/233784/news/ctanalysis/.
- “WIN Minnesota Political Action Fund – 30625.” Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://cfb.mn.gov/reports-and-data/viewers/campaign-finance/political-committee-fund/30625/2018.
- “About Cardinal Insight.” Cardinal Insight. Accessed December 8, 2022. http://www.denisecardinal.com/about-cardinal-insight.
- “Denise Cardinal.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisecardinal/.
- “Cardinal Insight.” Facebook Profile. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/cardinalinsight/about.
- “Services.” Cardinal Insight. Accessed December 8, 2022. http://www.denisecardinal.com/services-1.
- Schenkel, Kate. “Managing Partner Sam Pond Speaks at Democracy Alliance’s National Donor Summit.” Pond Lehocky. April 7, 2017. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.pondlehocky.com/news/samuel-pond-democracy-alliances-national-donor-summit/.
- “Democracy Alliance Spring 2016 Conference.” Politico. April 9, 2016. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://static.politico.com/64/47/b971249843558514c9c6aff87765/democracy-alliance-spring-meeting-agenda.pdf.
- “Denise Cardinal.” Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://funderscommittee.org/staff-board/denise-cardinal/.
- “About Cardinal Insight.” Cardinal Insight. Accessed December 8, 2022. http://www.denisecardinal.com/about-cardinal-insight.
- Confessore, Nicholas. “A National Strategy Funds State Political Monopolies.” New York Times. January 11, 2014. Accessed via Web Archive December 8, 2022. https://archive.ph/UZrQH.
- Bierschbach, Briana. “Geo-targeting will play big role in 2012 elections.” Minnesota Lawyer. October 5, 2011. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://minnlawyer.com/2011/10/05/geo-targeting-will-play-big-role-in-%e2%80%9912-elections/.
- “About Cardinal Insight.” Cardinal Insight. Accessed December 8, 2022. http://www.denisecardinal.com/about-cardinal-insight.
- “Denise Cardinal.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisecardinal/.
- “Denise Cardinal.” Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://funderscommittee.org/staff-board/denise-cardinal/.
- [1] “About Us.” Cardinal Insight. Accessed December 11, 2022. http://www.denisecardinal.com/about-us
- “Individual Contributions.” Federal Election Commission Denise Cardinal Search Result. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=denise%20cardinal.
- “Denise Cardinal.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisecardinal/.
- “About Us.” Cardinal Insight. Accessed December 11, 2022. http://www.denisecardinal.com/about-us.