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Bryan Watkins is the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of the California Republican
Party, a role he has held since 2021. Before he was appointed to this role, Bryan was the Field & Political Director and Deputy Executive Director between 2019 and 2021.
Before Bryan's return to his home state in 2019 to serve the California Republican Party, he had an impactful career in the private sector in Washington, D.C.
Most recently, as Vice President of Political & Advocacy at iHeartMedia, Bryan oversaw a
complete reorganization of the company’s Political & Advocacy Department, modeled after the political campaigns he was involved in during the early years of his career. His tenure was
marked with over $100 million in political and advocacy revenue for the media giant.
Between Bryan’s move over to the private sector in 2012 and his tenure at iHeartMedia, he
designed and executed effective digital strategies for high-profile candidates and right-leaning
groups, crafted political ad sales strategy for Townhall Media, and worked in the front office of
the Washington Redskins for former majority team owner Daniel Snyder.
His earlier career highlights include serving as the Executive Director of the Republican Party
of New Mexico, where he worked with then-first-term Republican Governor Susana Martinez
and her team on critical initiatives such as the 2011 redistricting process. This collaborative
working relationship between the Governor and the state party led to districts that helped
secure a Republican majority in the State House following the 2014 general election.
Bryan also did two stints at the Republican National Committee, first in 2008 and subsequently
in 2010. In the 2010 cycle, he directed the National 72-Hour program and was charged with
overseeing the Committee's National Field Program during the historical mid-term cycle. This cycle saw Republicans secure a net gain of 63 House seats.
A proud native of La Habra Heights, California, Bryan's political journey, which now spans two decades, traces back to his freshman year at California State University, San Marcos. It was
there, in 2003, he first entered the world of politics, interning for a competitive California
State Assembly race. This initial foray led to a series of opportunities across eight states and the
District of Columbia, covering a range of campaigns from local school board elections to two
presidential campaigns.
Bryan now resides in downtown Sacramento with his Golden Retriever, Sammy, and is an avid
golfer and runner. Bryan dabbles in golf, despite his double-digit handicap, and running, as
evidenced by his completion of the 2015 New York City Marathon.
Join us for our August 5th monthly meeting. Bryan Watkins, the CEO of the CAGOP, will speak. We will also hold our local endorsement meeting.