Terry Holt has been a successful political and policy strategist in the nation’s capital for more than 25 years. He has served in both the U.S. House and Senate and as national spokesperson on two winning presidential campaigns. He has a successful track record of winning public affairs efforts across a broad spectrum of clients and policy arenas.
Holt began his political career on Senator Richard Lugar’s (R-IN) press staff, during his Chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. After Republicans lost the Senate in 1986, Terry was part of several historic congressional victories, including the defeat of then-sitting House Speaker Thomas Foley (D-WA) in the 1994 GOP Revolution. Terry also served as a National Republican Congressional Committee regional field director and as a gubernatorial and US Senate primary and special election manager.
He served as a senior advisor for U.S. House Speaker, John Boehner (R-OH), building a reputation as a straight-talking voice. In the House, Terry also worked for House Budget Committee Chairman John Kasich and House Majority Leader Richard Armey. In those roles Holt was named one of the “50 Most Influential” staffers in the House. He played an important role during 9/11 and its aftermath, including creation the Department of Homeland Security and congressional approval of the Global War on Terror.
Terry worked on three presidential campaigns: In 1995-96 he served as communication director and New England field representative for Lugar, whose presidential campaign announcement took place on the same day as the Oklahoma City Bombing. In 2000, Holt served as communication director for Victory 2000, the GOP campaign to support the GOP nominee, then Texas Governor, George W. Bush. He returned in 2004 he returned to the campaign, serving as national spokesperson for BC/04 and senior advisor to the Republican National Committee.
In the private sector, Holt founded HDMK, a full service bipartisan public affairs practice specializing in media relations and policy communication. In 2020, Terry opened Holt Communication Strategies. Terry has launched several national advocacy groups and campaigns, including The National Cannabis Roundtable, The Empowerment Alliance, and the Corporate Coalition Support PEPFAR. On the international front, Terry has advised a diverse group of business and political leaders, including a long tenure as the Agency of the Record for the Government of Panama.
Terry is a close observer of national trends, specializing on the nexus between the President, the U.S. Congress, and the media. Holt appears as an on-air political strategist for news outlets across the media spectrum. He is a graduate of Purdue University and lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
