Elisabeth Pearson is a Democratic Party operative who has worked on many campaigns and as a leader of left-of-center PACs and nonprofit organizations. Pearson has a long history of working for organizations affiliated with the Democratic Party which focus on redistricting and elections.
Political Campaigns
Pearson began her career working with Democratic campaigns. Early in her career, Pearson worked on Virginia Lieutenant Governor Sue Wagner (D)’s successful 1991 campaign. In 2002, Pearson worked on U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)’s successful campaign for Governor of Virginia. In 2008, Pearson worked for Warner for Senate, the PAC which supported U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) in his first successful campaign for the office. [1]
After working on several campaigns, Pearson became political director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), an organization affiliated with the Democratic Party which aims to elect Democratic candidates to the U.S. Senate. Pearson was especially active with the organization during the 2010 election cycle, in which the Democratic Party held their majority on a reduced margin with 53 seats. [2]
Democratic Governors Association
After her time at the DSCC, Pearson became executive director for the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), an organization which aims to elect Democratic governors. Under Pearson’s leadership, the organization helped to elect 10 Democratic state and territorial gubernatorial candidates to positions previously held by Republicans or independents in the 2017-2018 cycle. [3]
During her tenure with the organization, Pearson focused on growing DGA through grassroots fundraising and working closely with Democratic incumbents to grow awareness around of the organization. While in her role, Pearson encouraged governors to support the redrawing of district maps to create more favorable conditions for Democratic candidates. Pearson uses her position of electing Democratic Governors to ensure that states have the power to redraw congressional maps to help benefit the Democratic party. [4]
National Democratic Redistricting Committee
While at DGA, Pearson became a founding board member of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, an organization which aims to redraw congressional maps in order to benefit the Democratic Party. The organization was founded and remains directed by former Obama administration Attorney General and Democratic operative Eric Holder. [5]
Until 2018, Pearson sat as president of the NDRC. Though NDRC has frequently claimed to be a nonpartisan organization aimed at guaranteeing fair representation, Pearson admitted during a 2017 interview with the Washington Post that organization was working to make legislative maps “more favorable to Democrats.” Pearson also sits on the board of directors at the National Redistricting Foundation, the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the NDRC. [6]
Magnus Pearson Media
After leaving DGA in 2018, Pearson founded the consulting firm Magnus Pearson Media alongside Adam Magnus, a former partner at Shorr Johnson Magnus. Magnus worked with a long list of Democratic political officials while at Shorr Johnson Magnus to produce campaign advertisements and other favorable media. [7]
Political Contributions
Pearson has made contributions to multiple left-of-center candidates and organizations. In 2019, Pearson made a $1,200 contribution to Emily’s List, a left-of-center organization which promotes Democratic candidates who support expanded access to abortion. Pearson also made a $250 contribution to Friends of Dan Maffei, the PAC associated with former U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY). [8]
In 2020, Pearson assisted in founding the Better Road Louisiana PAC, an organization which supported Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins (D)’s failed U.S. Senate campaign. [9]