# Pillen hires Trump-aligned campaign team with national political heavyweights **Published:** 2026-05-18T10:00:38.000Z **Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-unveils-reworked-campaign-team/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/pillen-hires-trump-aligned-campaign-team-with-national-political-heavyweights Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has assembled a new campaign team with deep connections to President Donald Trump as he heads into the general election phase of his reelection bid, [according to the Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-unveils-reworked-campaign-team/). The revamped campaign staff replaces key operatives and brings on several nationally recognized Republican operatives. Florida-based consultant Ryan Smith will serve as the campaign's general consultant, taking over from Jessica Flanagain of Axiom Strategy, who had been known for her work with former U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts. Smith has spent 20 years working on Republican campaigns and previously served as an advisor to MAGA Inc, the super PAC that functions as Trump's primary outside political operation. White House official Alex Meyer, who currently serves as Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, is leaving his position to join what officials say is "the President's external political operation for midterm elections" and will partner with Smith in supporting Pillen's campaign. Veteran Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, who served as Trump's pollster in both the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections, will handle the campaign's polling. On the local level, Taylor Sliva, a former staffer for U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, has been named campaign manager. Sliva currently serves as Pillen's deputy chief of staff and will take a leave of absence from the Governor's Office. Daniel Huey continues as media consultant, and Andie Gage remains finance director. "I love building winning teams, and we have done just that," Pillen said in a written statement. "These are some of the most talented and dedicated conservative political professionals in America, and I am proud to have them at my side as we build momentum toward November." The campaign shake-up comes as [Pillen and Democrat Lynne Walz both won decisive primary victories](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/2026-nebraska-governors-race-results/) in May. Pillen easily dispatched five GOP challengers while Walz claimed the Democratic nomination. [Pillen still holds a significant fundraising advantage](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/pillen-walz-advance-in-nebraska-governor-race-results/), with approximately $9.4 million in cash available compared to Walz's $546,818, though she has been closing the gap in recent months. The November general election will take place on a political landscape shaped by Pillen's first term, which has been marked by both legislative victories and controversies. His administration has focused on [property tax relief](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/03/30/is-another-term-for-nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-inevitable/) and cultural issues, though some national polling has found him among the least popular incumbent governors in the country. ## Sources - [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-unveils-reworked-campaign-team/) - [Nebraska Public Media coverage of 2026 gubernatorial primary results](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/2026-nebraska-governors-race-results/) - [Nebraska Examiner analysis of Pillen's political standing](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/03/30/is-another-term-for-nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-inevitable/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-unveils-reworked-campaign-team/.