About Us

Terry Nelson, Founder and Principal

Terry Nelson has consistently demonstrated high levels of success in both the strategic and tactical areas of campaigns. He has played a senior role in the last three national elections and was named one of “Politics Fabulous Fifty” -- a listing of the fifty most influential political operatives in Washington.  

This background provides him with a unique, effective approach to achieving goals, seizing opportunities and solving problems for his clients in the public policy arena.

Nelson’s current and past client list includes: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the Consumer Alliance for Energy Security, the Irvine Company, Miller & Long Concrete and many others. Most recently, Nelson was named Senior Adviser for Senator John McCain’s Straight Talk America PAC.

Before founding CrossLink, Nelson served as the National Political Director for Bush-Cheney 2004, where he was responsible for the grassroots effort, turning out the vote, coalition outreach, and paid voter contact mail and phones. This effort produced a historic increase in turnout for President Bush.

Prior to his role in the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign he was the Deputy Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Political Operations at the Republican National Committee (RNC). While there, he helped craft the historic takeover of U.S. Senate and gains in the U.S. House in 2002 and was responsible for television, voter contact mail and phones and get-out-the-vote programs.

He also served as Political Director of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in 2000. In this role he directed a $55 million political program to retain the Republican majority in the House when many political analysts and media pundits predicted a return to the minority.

Nelson graduated from the University of Iowa. He lives in Falls Church, Virginia with his wife, Marci, and their three children.