PRESS RELEASE: Rufus Gifford Hires Tsongas Executive Director Martello as Congressional Campaign Manager

Gifford rolls out campaign team with deep experience running and winning in the Third Congressional District

November 27, 2017

Rufus Gifford today announced Ben Martello as campaign manager, bringing a member of Congresswoman Niki Tsongas’ senior staff to lead his bid for Massachusetts Third Congressional District.

“Ben knows the Third District better than almost anyone, and I am proud and heartened that he came from the congresswoman’s office to lead our campaign,” said Gifford.

Martello, of Lowell, has worked with Congresswoman Tsongas in several capacities, contributing to each of her successful campaign bids, and leading her political campaign committee. Most recently, he served as the congresswoman’s executive director, overseeing day-to-day management of her district offices. He previously worked as a policy advisor to Sen. Steven Panagiotakos of Lowell.

Gifford also rolled out his campaign team, bringing some of Massachusetts’s leading strategists in grassroots organizing, multicultural marketing, digital outreach, and fundraising together for an innovative campaign.

“Before launching the campaign, I wanted more than anything to build a team with unquestionable talent, local knowledge and a track record of success,” said Gifford. “This team exceeds my expectation in every possible way and ensures we will be running the kind of grassroots, people first campaign that we want to run.”

Gifford for Congress Team:

· Campaign Manager — Ben Martello

· Grassroots Organizing — Carl Nilsson, Chelsie Ouellette and Madeline McGill of Field First

· Multicultural Media and Community Engagement — Josiane Martinez, Alec Loftus and Gaby Quintero of Archipelago Strategies Group

· Digital Outreach — 270 Strategies

· Fundraising — Maggie Rothschild

About Rufus:

On November 13, Rufus Gifford announced his campaign for Congress in a video that has since been viewed approximately 100,000 times across social media.

For the past four years, Rufus has served the United States overseas as Barack Obama’s ambassador to Denmark, earning plaudits for connecting with people at a grassroots level. His tenure was filmed by Danish TV, and later picked up by Netflix as a two-season documentary: “I am the Ambassador.”

He previously served as Obama’s national finance director, leading efforts to raise a record $1 billion for Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Gifford lives in Concord with his husband Stephen and dog Argos.

For more information, visit: www.RufusGifford.com.

** SAMPLING OF RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE **

NBC Boston: Former ambassador joins MA-3 race https://www.nbcboston.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Former-Ambassador-Joins-MA-3-Race_NECN-457290633.html

Lowell Sun: Ex-ambassador Gifford joins race for Tsongas seat
http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_31452653/ex-ambassador-gifford-joins-race-tsongas-seat

NECN: 2018 contest for Mass 3rd Congressional District seat

https://www.necn.com/on-air/as-seen-on/WEB-Take-A-Block_NECN-457838003.html

El Planeta: Rufus Gifford lanza campaña para tercer distrito del Congreso de Massachusetts

http://npaper-wehaa.com/elplaneta#2017/11/17/?article=3012911

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