12.25.07
LA-GOV: Meet Tim Teepell, Jindal’s #2
Competitive Spirit Drives Jindal’s Top Gun
How long until Timmy Teepell is branded “Bobby Jindal’s Karl Rove”?
Teepell is the 32 year-old father of six who is serving as Jindal’s transition team leader and future chief-of-staff.
[E]ven though Teepell is a product of home schooling who never went to college and is far younger than most people in his position, he is hardly a political novice.
In one form or another, he has been preparing for his new job ever since volunteering for his first state legislative race at the age of 15. He has spent the better part of two decades as a foot soldier for conservative Christian causes, raising money, formulating strategy and managing campaigns, culminating with Jindal’s historic, 37-point win on Oct. 20.
More —->
[snip][Teepell] was introduced to Michael Farris, an influential Christian conservative who is one of the fathers of the home-school movement. Farris, who would go on to found the nation’s first four-year college designed specifically for Christian home-schoolers, Patrick Henry College, was putting together a lobbying organization and asked Teepell to help.
At the age of 18, when his peers were attending college, Teepell moved to suburban Washington, D.C., to work for Farris, learning the art of grassroots fundraising and organizing.
Jindal’s campaign was criticized for being aloof and coasting on the polls. Hardly:
“There’s no doubt that he emerged from part of the conservative movement that is much more grassroots-oriented than other parts” of the GOP, Farris said. “Timmy rose through groups that are used to raising $10 and $20 and $50 and $100 rather than $1,000. That was his first introduction to politics.”
Teepell’s work at the Madison Project led to a stint at the Republican National Committee, where he served as deputy political director, until he signed on with Jindal just as he was gearing up to run for Congress in 2004.
The lessons he had learned as a shoestring organizer paid off. Rather than discussing the campaign’s issues or strategies, Teepell appears most proud of the grassroots support he was able to generate. He said Jindal’s campaign volunteers knocked on more than 2.4 million doors in the months leading up to the Oct. 20 primary, including 750,000 in the final week. [emphasis added]
Stay tuned. These guys are gonna shake things up a little bit…
Originaly from Source