2016 in SC: Veteran SC consultant to run Rubio PAC

Veteran S.C. political strategist Warren Tompkins will lead the political organization backing U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio if the Florida Republican decides to run for president.

Long-time GOP media consultant and pollster Jon Lerner, who has worked on several campaigns in the state including Gov. Nikki Haley’s, also will join the Conservative Solutions PAC, the organization announced Thursday.

Rubio has a “big announcement” planned Monday at the Freedom Tower in Miami where he is expected to announce that he will seek the GOP presidential nomination.

A veteran of seven presidential primary campaigns, Tompkins will direct the super PAC, authorized to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money in support of Rubio as long as there is no coordination with the candidate.

“Support for Marco’s positive conservative vision and his potential presidential run is growing every day, and I’m honored to help in that effort,” said Tompkins, who worked on presidential campaigns for Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush in roles ranging from state political director to senior adviser.

Tompkins, a partner in First Tuesday Strategies, also worked as a consultant for Mitt Romney’s S.C. GOP presidential primary campaign and for Republican U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint.

This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 5:33 PM with the headline "2016 in SC: Veteran SC consultant to run Rubio PAC."