Robert Cahaly
Starting as a young door-to-door campaign worker in the early 1980’s, Robert Cahaly has been actively involved in elections for most of his life. Growing up in South Carolina, he worked for and with GOP legends like Lee Atwater, Carroll Campbell, and Strom Thurmond.
A 1995 graduate of the University of South Carolina, Cahaly served as senior staff on David Beasley’s Governor campaigns in ‘94 & ’98, and in the Governor’s Office ’95-‘96. He then worked as a Regional Political Director for Dole/Kemp ’96. Following that he served as Director of Public Affairs for the Fifth Circuit (Columbia, SC) Solicitor’s (District Attorney) office from ‘97-‘99. He moved to Mississippi in 1999 and managed Lt. Governor Eddie Briggs’ Governor’s campaign. In late 1999, he worked with the Dawson for SCGOP Chairman campaign. He also did extensive grassroots and internet IE work benefitting the Bush for President Primary Campaign ‘99 –‘00.
In 2000, he went to work full time for the public relations firm he started in ‘97. In the years that followed, he and his team have worked in over 190 races, including local to federal races, issue advocacy campaigns, independent expenditure efforts as well as corporate marketing and communications.
Today, Cahaly is a nationally active political consultant having worked for winning candidates and issues in 22 states. Notable current and former clients of his companies include: Chris Christie’s Presidential Campaign, SC House GOP Caucus, NE US Sen. Ben Sasse, SC. Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster, MI Speaker Jase Bolger, SC Gov. Nikki Haley, SCGOP Chair Karen Floyd, SC Congressman Henry Brown, MI Majority Floor Leader Mike Kowall, Geaux PAC SuperPAC, SC House Majority Leader Bruce Bannister, Americans For Prosperity, SCGOP Chair Katon Dawson, and The MO House Republican Campaign Committee.
He has worked campaigns supporting Governors Carroll Campbell, David Beasley, Mike Huckabee, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, and Henry McMaster; US Senators Strom Thurmond, Bob Dole, Tim Scott, and Ben Sasse; and Presidents George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Donald J.Trump.
Along the way, Cahaly met and worked with political geniuses such as Lee Atwater, Dick Morris, Roger Stone, and John Sununu–learning everything he could from them.
In the ’07-‘08 presidential campaign, he served as an advisor to Huckabee for President, doing consulting, voter contact, and grassroots work in SC and Iowa directing spending in excess of 600K. In ’07 his firm did consulting, voter contact, and grassroots work in SC, NH, and Iowa directing spending in excess of 800K for Americans for Fair Taxation. He organized an 8k person rally adjacent to the SCGOP presidential debate where Huckabee was introduced to and became a supporter of Fair Tax.
In the ’11-’12 presidential campaign he and his company organized, fundraised, and oversaw the 2012 Southern Republican Leadership Conference and Presidential Debate with CNN. The 5M domestic audience debate was the first ‘12 debate broadcast globally and the last before the SC Primary. Cahaly personally oversaw negotiations of the CNN contract and operations, coordination with presidential campaigns, and the massive law enforcement effort to weed out “occupy” protesters who fraudulently registered to attend the debate.
As President of the Trafalgar Group, Cahaly’s expertise includes strategic communications, public relations, polling, new/social media utilization, team building/management, federal/state election compliance, campaign development, and GOTV. He is often quoted in national and state media for his political perspective. He is also a sought-after speaker and lecturer on campaign training, issue advocacy, and public relations topics. He has spoken for/to groups ranging from the RNC, state GOPs, and legislative caucuses, to conservative interest groups such as GOPAC, Tea Party Patriots, Tea Party Express, and The Leadership Institute. He has been speaking for over 15 years in 43 states in front of 4000+ candidates, elected officials, and trainees.
Cahaly is a member of St. Elias Eastern Orthodox Church, a life member of the National Rifle Association, a Ducks Unlimited member, a Platinum sponsor of Homes for Vets, Little League baseball team sponsor, Pendleton football booster, and an active donor/volunteer to many other charities and civic/interest groups. He is a sports enthusiast especially Formula 1, MLB, NASCAR, NFL, and the University of South Carolina football/baseball.