David Welch is a Vice President of Mercury/Clark & Weinstock. He has spent the past decade immersed in some of Washington, D.C.’s most respected research departments and political campaigns, including two presidential campaigns.

Mr. Welch began his political career with Senator John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign as a junior staff member during the First-In-The-Nation New Hampshire Primary, where he helped the Senator earn an upset victory. He then joined the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) Research Department where he worked during the 2002 and 2004 election cycles. During his tenure at the NRSC, Republicans took back the Majority, and added several Senate seats. In the 2006 election cycle, Mr. Welch served as Political Director for a U.S. Senate campaign. In this role, he was responsible for: coalitions outreach and development, debate prep and policy briefings for the candidate, assisting in developing campaign ads, mail pieces, messages and themes.

Mr. Welch later joined John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign as the Deputy Research Director. As part of the McCain campaign Communications Team, Mr. Welch coordinated with senior staff on rapid response efforts, wrote press releases, fact sheets and memos for distribution to national media outlets, and performed opposition research and analysis. In the 2010 election cycle, Mr. Welch took the helm as the Republican National Committee’s Research Director where he oversaw a staff of 17 researchers and a $2.4 million budget. His research team contributed to historic victories in taking back the Republican majority in the House.

A New Hampshire native, Mr. Welch proudly served eight years in the United States Navy.