Former Republican Senate candidate Tiffany Smiley of Washington State is launching "Rescuing the American Dream," a 501(c)(4) nonprofit group focused on comparing “how Americans and Washington, D.C. view” issues of political importance.
Smiley was a touted GOP recruit in a tough state last year, but she lost by nearly 15 percentage-points to Democratic Sen. Patty Murray. Advisers tell NBC News the new nonprofit will be a “multi-million dollar” effort, but they declined to provide specific details about the new group's budget.
“It’s clear that Washington, D.C. isn’t working for working Americans, and there is a massive disconnect between what is being discussed inside the beltway and what is affecting the lives of everyday Americans,” Smiley said.
The group’s executive director will be Blaise Hazelwood, a former political director for the Republican National Committee and National Republican Senatorial Committee. She was also the general consultant for Smiley’s U.S. Senate race.
Senior advisers for communications will be Cody Hall, a senior aide to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, and Stephen Lawson, who runs a Georgia-based GOP consulting firm and has previously worked for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Sen. Rick Scott.
The group launched with a report based on a national poll of 2,000 registered voters, which focused on identifying voters' key issues and was conducted by McLaughlin & Associates, which was in the field from March 29 to April 3.
The poll largely focused on pocketbook-type issues impacting the middle class.
“Moving forward, Rescuing the American Dream and conservative leaders should prioritize developing policy that will lower the cost of essential items, tackle head first health care accessibility and affordability, and prioritize smart education policies that lift up every student,” read the polling memo.