Republican Party of Wisconsin names Andrew Iverson executive director

MADISON — The Republican Party of Wisconsin has hired Andrew Iverson, an operative with experience on Wisconsin-based campaigns and the Republican National Committee, as its executive director as the party's national convention in Milwaukee approaches.

Iverson, a Wisconsin native, most recently served as regional political director for the RNC. He has also held roles as state director for the Trump Victory (a joint operation of the RNC and former President Donald Trump's campaign) and on the campaigns of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil. He is a graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran College.

"I am thrilled to bring Andrew on board as our new executive director. His wide breadth of experience and ability will prove crucial for us winning in November," said RPW chairman Brian Schimming in a statement. "Wisconsin will decide the 2024 race. Andrew Iverson is the right man for the job in this pivotal election."

Iverson will step into a role most recently held by Mark Jefferson, who stepped down in February and took over as executive director of the Tavern League of Wisconsin in March. The executive director is responsible for the party's day-to-day operations.

Appointed executive director of the party for the second time in early 2019, Jefferson presided over Wisconsin Republicans during some of their more tumultuous times. The party became divided over challenges to the 2020 election, and it drew national attention when 10 Wisconsin Republicans, including the party’s then-chairman, signed false paperwork claiming to be electors for former President Donald Trump. Jefferson at the time privately expressed concerns about the plan.

In his role with Trump Victory, Iverson made headlines when The Associated Press reported on an audio recording of a post-election strategy session.

“At the end of the day, this operation received more votes than any other Republican in Wisconsin history,” Iverson said in the recording. “Say what you want, our operation turned out Republican or DJT supporters. Democrats just got 20,000 more than us, out of Dane County and other shenanigans in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Dane. There’s a lot that people can learn from this campaign.”

Iverson's hiring comes about three months before the Republican National Convention is set to take place in Milwaukee from July 15-18.

Both parties have Wisconsin in focus as Trump challenges Democratic President Joe Biden — a rematch of the 2020 election, in which Biden carried Wisconsin by a margin of about 20,000 votes. The battleground state will also have a high-profile Senate race as Republican businessman Eric Hovde takes on Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, helping determine the balance of power in the Senate, along with the first legislative races under the state's newly redrawn maps.

“Wisconsin is the cornerstone of the Republican Party’s chances this November,” Iverson said in a statement. “I am eager to get to work on behalf of all of our candidates to take back the White House and usher in a new era of conservative leadership.”

Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Republican Party names Andrew Iverson executive director