Carol McCormack
Founder & Chief Political Strategist
Carol McCormack is a Democratic political strategist and consultant with more than 30 years of experience working on campaigns across the United States at the federal, state, and local levels. She is the principal and founder of Carol Butler and Associates in Portland, Oregon, where she provides strategic consulting for Democratic candidates, statewide ballot-measure committees, and progressive organizations.
Her career has included work on U.S. Senate and U.S. House races, gubernatorial campaigns, presidential campaigns, and statewide initiatives. She has managed and advised campaigns involving Debbie Stabenow, Ron Wyden, Suzanne Bonamici, and Nicholas Kristof. She also contributed to Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and has worked on major Oregon ballot measures and statewide political efforts.
Early Career and Entry into National Politics
McCormack began her political career through congressional work in Washington, D.C. While in college, she interned in the office of Texas Congressman Martin Frost. After the internship, she moved into a staff role in his congressional office, where she gained experience with the daily operations of federal legislative work.
Her first direct experience in presidential politics came in 1988. During that year, she worked at Dick Gephardt's Iowa headquarters and served as a surrogate scheduler. This role gave her early exposure to the pace and organization required in a presidential campaign.
Development Through Senate and Presidential Campaigns
From the late 1980s through the early 2000s, McCormack continued to develop her career in senior campaign roles across several states. Her work included U.S. Senate and presidential campaigns in Michigan, Oregon, Arkansas, Texas, and other locations. During this period, she gained experience in field operations, finance strategy, campaign management, and overall planning.
A major point in her career came in 2000, when she served as campaign manager for the Senate race that resulted in Debbie Stabenow’s election to the U.S. Senate. This campaign helped establish McCormack as a statewide campaign manager with experience in competitive races.
She also became involved in Oregon politics through Ron Wyden’s 1998 reelection campaign. Her work on that campaign and later Wyden cycles contributed to long-term continuity in Oregon Democratic Senate operations.
McCormack also worked on Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign as part of the broader Democratic national effort. Her experience during this period also included Ron Kirk’s 2002 U.S. Senate race in Texas and Bill Halter’s 2010 U.S. Senate campaign in Arkansas.
Founding of Carol Butler and Associates
In 2006, Carol McCormack founded Carol Butler and Associates in Portland, Oregon. The consulting firm was created to support Democratic candidates, ballot measures, and progressive organizations.
As principal and founder, McCormack oversees campaign strategy and execution across several areas. Her work includes budget management, message development, opposition research, and broader campaign planning.
The firm has worked with campaigns at many levels of government, including presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, gubernatorial, and statewide ballot-measure campaigns.
Oregon Campaign Leadership and Ballot Measures
After establishing her firm, McCormack became increasingly involved in Oregon campaign strategy. One of her notable early efforts was serving as campaign manager for the successful 2006 campaign to defeat Oregon’s Measure 43, a parental-notification ballot initiative.
That campaign involved statewide messaging and coalition-building among groups focused on reproductive rights and privacy policy.
In 2012, she worked as a senior strategist for Suzanne Bonamici’s campaign during her special election victory and later electoral cycles. In 2014, McCormack also participated in the effort to defend the Portland Water Bureau against privatization proposals.
Gubernatorial and Recent High-Profile Campaigns
In 2021, Carol Butler McCormack served as a senior consultant and campaign leader for Nicholas Kristof’s Oregon gubernatorial campaign.
Her role included senior-level planning and campaign coordination during a competitive statewide race. The campaign received national attention because of Kristof’s background as a journalist and public intellectual.
Civic Engagement and Political Hosting
Outside formal campaign management, McCormack has remained active in civic and political engagement. She and her partner, Win McCormack, have hosted political fundraisers and gatherings involving national Democratic figures.
These events have included appearances by Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Nancy Pelosi. The gatherings have taken place in Portland and nearby communities, including Lake Oswego and Dunthorpe.
Recognition and Media Coverage
McCormack’s work has been featured in Oregon Business magazine, including its “War Room” series, where she was described as a long-standing presence in Oregon politics.
Her work has also been referenced in The New Republic, Willamette Week, Portland Tribune, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Crain’s New York Business, and The Fine Print.
Philanthropy and Broader Engagement
Beyond political consulting, McCormack has supported philanthropic and advocacy-related efforts. Her involvement has included support for women’s political initiatives and organizations focused on increasing representation in public office.
She has also contributed to charitable causes, including animal welfare efforts connected to Raskels Rescue, a shelter based in South Carolina.
Across more than 30 years, Carol McCormack has built a career around campaign strategy, political consulting, organizational planning, and public engagement. Her work reflects long-term involvement in Democratic politics at multiple levels, with experience ranging from congressional offices and presidential campaigns to statewide races, ballot measures, and civic initiatives.