Top Democratic PR Firms 2026: SKDK, GMMB and More

SKDK, GMMB, MWW, Bully Pulpit International, Precision Strategies and Thematic Campaigns are the best-known Democratic-aligned communications firms in 2026. They handle paid media, digital advertising, message strategy and crisis work for Democratic candidates, party committees and progressive groups. Most also serve corporate clients, which carries them through the years between election cycles.

Which firms lead Democratic political communications in 2026?

Six firms anchor Democratic political communications in 2026, and each one leads in a different discipline. The table below lists them alphabetically, because no public source ranks Democratic firms across paid media, digital, message strategy and public relations at once.

Firm	Main strength	Record the firm is known for
Bully Pulpit International	Digital advertising and analytics	Founded in 2009 by Andrew Bleeker, who led digital for Obama's 2008 campaign
GMMB	Paid media	Top political vendor in the 2008 and 2012 cycles by FEC-based totals
MWW	Public relations and party fundraising ties	CEO Michael Kempner is a former DNC deputy finance chair
Precision Strategies	Strategy, public affairs and communications	Acquired Firehouse Strategies on March 4, 2026
SKDK	Message strategy and corporate communications	Co-founded by Anita Dunn, a senior adviser to Biden
Thematic Campaigns	Television and digital ads	Relaunched in April 2023 from AKPD Message and Media

What does each leading Democratic firm do best?

Bully Pulpit International

Bully Pulpit International is a digital marketing and communications firm that Andrew Bleeker founded in 2009 as Bully Pulpit Interactive. It adopted its current name in December 2023 after acquiring the European consulting firm BOLDT, according to InfluenceWatch.

Sludge reported in August 2024 that the Obama and Clinton campaigns each spent heavily with the firm and that the DNC was its third-largest client in FEC filings, at about $64 million. The firm also serves corporate clients, including McDonald's on environmental sustainability communications, per a 2018 Wesleyan University profile.

GMMB

GMMB is the Washington paid-media firm where partner Jim Margolis has led presidential advertising for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 and for Hillary Clinton in 2016. The firm's own biography for Margolis states that he led each Obama cycle's half-billion dollar advertising effort.

The Free Beacon reported in June 2016, using FEC data, that GMMB collected $365 million from Democratic clients in the 2008 cycle and $435 million in 2012, the most of any political vendor in both years. That spending record is the strongest public evidence of GMMB's scale.

MWW

MWW is a public relations firm led by CEO Michael Kempner, a longtime Democratic fundraiser. New Jersey Globe described Kempner in 2023 as a former DNC deputy finance chairman who bundled for Joe Biden's 2020 campaign.

The Free Beacon, citing the Associated Press, reported in 2016 that Kempner raised more than $3 million for Obama's campaign in 2011 and 2012. That fundraising role gives MWW access to the party's donor network alongside a corporate client base.

Precision Strategies

Precision Strategies is a Washington and New York firm founded in 2013 by alumni of Obama's campaigns, including Stephanie Cutter and Teddy Goff. On March 4, 2026 Precision acquired Firehouse Strategies, a public affairs firm founded by veterans of Marco Rubio's 2016 campaign with Democratic strategist Ray Glendening, and kept Firehouse as a conflict subsidiary.

On September 15, 2026 Precision named Adam Cubbage, formerly head of Americas at DGA Group, as its first CEO, according to Axios. Cutter had served as acting CEO since the Firehouse deal and remains managing partner. The combined firm has more than 125 U.S. professionals, per O'Dwyer's.

SKDK

SKDK is a Democratic-aligned communications firm that Anita Dunn co-founded. Dunn was a senior adviser on Biden's 2020 campaign, co-chaired his transition team and worked in his White House, according to CBS News.

CNN reported that Dunn left the White House in July 2024 to advise the pro-Harris super PAC Future Forward. SKDK is part of the Stagwell Group, per O'Dwyer's.

Thematic Campaigns

Thematic Campaigns is the Chicago-based media firm that relaunched in April 2023 under a new name, after operating as AKPD Message and Media. David Axelrod founded the original firm as Axelrod and Associates, and it produced media for Obama's 2008 campaign.

Thematic works for Democratic candidates and progressive causes, including ballot initiatives. Its partners include Isaac Baker, who has advised candidates in races that elected mayors of Phoenix, Chicago, Boston and Columbus, per the firm's 2023 relaunch announcement.

How does the Democratic operative class move between cycles?

Democratic communications staff move between campaigns, firms and government offices, so the same people reappear across election cycles. Three careers in this list show the pattern.

Anita Dunn moved from SKDK to the Biden campaign, into the White House and then to a super PAC. Jim Margolis moved from GMMB to Obama's and Clinton's campaigns while remaining a partner. Andrew Bleeker moved from Obama's 2008 digital operation to founding a firm that later billed the DNC about $64 million.

Do Democratic PR firms also work for Republicans or corporations?

Most Democratic-aligned firms take corporate clients, and at least one now owns a firm with Republican roots. Precision's 2026 purchase of Firehouse Strategies brought in founders who worked on Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign.

Corporate work is how firms fund staff between election years. Bully Pulpit's McDonald's account and MWW's business clients are two examples. For firms across the political spectrum, see Everything-PR's guide to top public affairs and political PR firms in the United States.

Top Democratic PR firms: FAQ

Who is the largest Democratic PR firm?

No public source ranks every Democratic firm by overall size. By FEC-based political vendor payments, GMMB led the 2008 and 2012 cycles, according to the Free Beacon's 2016 analysis.

Which Democratic firm owns a Republican-founded firm?

Precision Strategies owns Firehouse Strategies, which it acquired on March 4, 2026. Firehouse was founded by veterans of Marco Rubio's 2016 campaign together with Democratic strategist Ray Glendening.

What happened to AKPD Message and Media?

AKPD Message and Media relaunched as Thematic Campaigns in April 2023. The firm announced the new name alongside two new partners, Whitney Larsen and Tyler Law.

Editorial assessment by Everything-PR, based on public record, FEC-based reporting and firm announcements. No firm-supplied marketing copy, no paid placement.