Axiom Strategies
{{Short description|Republican political consulting firm}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Axiom Strategies
| logo =
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| type = Private
| industry = Political consulting
| foundation = 2005
| founder = Jeff Roe
| location_city = Kansas City, Missouri
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| homepage = [https://axiomstrategies.com/ axiomstrategies.com/]
}}Axiom Strategies is one of the largest Republican political consulting firms in the United States. Founded in 2005 by Jeff Roe, who has been described as "Ted Cruz's Karl Rove",{{Cite web |last=Levy |first=Pema |title=Meet Ted Cruz's Karl Rove: "He leaves a path of destruction" |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/03/meet-ted-cruz-karl-rove-jeff-roe/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925143215/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/03/meet-ted-cruz-karl-rove-jeff-roe/ |archive-date=2019-09-25 |access-date=2019-09-25 |website=Mother Jones |language=en-US}} it has been described as a "mega firm" by industry professionals.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Sean |date=2018-04-09 |title=Will the Rise of Mega Firms Usher In A New Era Of Competition On the Right? |publisher=Campaigns & Elections |url=https://campaignsandelections.com/industry-news/will-the-rise-of-mega-firms-usher-in-a-new-era-of-competition-on-the-right/ |access-date=2021-11-23}} Originally based in Kansas City, Missouri, it has thirteen offices across the country and approximately 150 full-time employees.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Axiom Strategies|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0130302Z:US|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822060256/https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0130302Z:US|archive-date=2019-08-22|access-date=2019-09-25|website=www.bloomberg.com}}
As of 2021, Axiom Strategies owns ten vendor companies. Through the company or its vendor network Axiom Strategies offers services including polling, fundraising, advertising, and public affairs to candidates.{{cite news |last1=Vaupel |first1=Andrew |title=Roe's Republican political consulting firm gets even bigger |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2017/10/18/axiom-stragies-consulting-merger-revolvis.html |access-date=2021-11-23 |publisher=Kansas City Business Journal |date=2017-10-18}} From 2018 to 2020, Axiom Strategies' Clout Public Affairs division lobbied on behalf of the Government of Cameroon.
History
In 2016, Axiom Strategies was enlisted by Kelli Ward in her unsuccessful Senate candidacy in Arizona versus incumbent John McCain.{{Cite web|last=Schleifer|first=Manu Raju and Theodore|date=2015-11-03|title=Ted Cruz aide's firm targets McCain, prompting tensions with GOP {{!}} CNN Politics|url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/03/politics/ted-cruz-john-mccain-axiom-strategies/index.html|access-date=2021-09-26|website=CNN|language=en}} In August 2019, Axiom hired former acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/11/us/politics/matthew-whitaker.html|title=Matthew Whitaker, Ex-Acting Attorney General, Joins Cybersecurity Firm|last=Haberman|first=Maggie|date=2019-08-11|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-09-25|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2019-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925143206/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/11/us/politics/matthew-whitaker.html|url-status=live}} as managing director of its Clout Public Affairs division.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/irisdorbian/2019/08/28/toronto-cbd-firm-taps-ex-acting-u-s-attorney-general-whitaker-for-new-legal-advisor-role/|title=Toronto CBD Firm Taps Ex-Acting U.S. Attorney General Whitaker For New Legal Advisor Role|last=Dorbian|first=Iris|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-09-25|archive-date=2019-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925143216/https://www.forbes.com/sites/irisdorbian/2019/08/28/toronto-cbd-firm-taps-ex-acting-u-s-attorney-general-whitaker-for-new-legal-advisor-role/|url-status=live}} In 2017 Axiom merged with Revolvis, a west coast consulting firm.{{Cite web|url=http://politi.co/2hd15DX|title=House FEC report analysis: 37 incumbents outraised in Q3|last=Schneider|first=Elena|website=POLITICO|language=en|access-date=2019-09-25|archive-date=2021-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418153529/https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-score/2017/10/18/house-fec-report-analysis-37-incumbents-outraised-in-q3-222870|url-status=live}}
In 2018, the company entered into a partnership with The Prosper Group, a digital marketing agency.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/axiom-strategies-partners-prosper-group-digital-efforts|title=Axiom Strategies Partners with Prosper Group on Digital Efforts|last1=Pathé|first1=Simone|date=2018-01-29|work=Roll Call|access-date=2019-09-25|last2=Pathé|first2=Simone|language=en|archive-date=2019-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925143208/https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/axiom-strategies-partners-prosper-group-digital-efforts|url-status=live}} In 2019 Axiom acquired the Kozlow Group{{Cite web|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/298954-kozlow-groups-evan-kozlow-joins-republican-consulting-firm-axiom|title=Kozlow Group's Evan Kozlow joins Republican consulting firm Axiom|last=Razdrih|first=Melissa S.|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-25|archive-date=2019-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925143207/https://floridapolitics.com/archives/298954-kozlow-groups-evan-kozlow-joins-republican-consulting-firm-axiom|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/fitzherbert-picks-kellyanne-conways-former-polling-firm/|title=Fitzherbert picks Kellyanne Conway's former polling firm|date=2019-07-15|website=New Jersey Globe|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-25|archive-date=2019-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925143211/https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/fitzherbert-picks-kellyanne-conways-former-polling-firm/|url-status=live}} and the Momentum Strategy Group, both of which are based in Florida.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2019/06/04/tampa-strategy-group-acquired-by-republican.html|title=Tampa strategy group acquired by Republican political consulting firm|last=|first=|date=|website=www.bizjournals.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418153528/https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2019/06/04/tampa-strategy-group-acquired-by-republican.html|archive-date=2021-04-18|access-date=2019-09-25}} The firm opened an office in Orange County, California in 2019 preparation for multiple competitive House elections in the area in 2020.{{Cite web|title=Axiom Strategies Opens Office in Orange County, CA – Axiom Strategies|url=https://axiomstrategies.com/press-orange-county-office/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=axiomstrategies.com}}
Axiom Strategies has been credited with assisting client Glenn Youngkin's victory in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election.{{Cite news |last1=Schneider |first1=Gregory S. |last2=Vozzella |first2=Laura |date=February 13, 2022 |title=The two sides of Youngkin: Virginia's new governor calls for unity but keeps stoking volatile issues |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/02/13/virginia-governor-youngkin-seeks-unity-stokes-division/ |newspaper=Washington Post}} In the 2022 Missouri Senate election, the firm has provided services on behalf of Republican candidate Eric Schmitt.{{Cite web |last=Bacharier |first=Galen |title=Missouri Senate race: Billy Long lashes out at Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz backs Eric Schmitt, PAC endorses Vicky Hartzler |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/02/16/mo-senate-race-long-criticizes-hawley-cruz-backs-schmitt-and-more/6805400001/ |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=Springfield News-Leader |language=en-US}}
In 2024 Axiom Strategies advised the Royals and Chiefs efforts to pass a County tax Ballot Initiative which failed by a wide margin. https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mcdowell/article287319365.htmlhttps://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article286880825.html
Cameroon lobbying
In September 2018, Axiom Strategies' Clout Public Affairs division signed on to lobby for the Government of Cameroon for $55,000/month.{{Cite web|last=O'Donnell|first=Robbie Gramer, Jefcoate|title=African Governments Rush to Hire Trump-Linked Lobbyists|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/06/cameroon-biya-fara-african-governments-rush-to-hire-trump-linked-lobbyists/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810002432/https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/06/cameroon-biya-fara-african-governments-rush-to-hire-trump-linked-lobbyists/|archive-date=2019-08-10|access-date=2019-09-25|website=Foreign Policy|language=en-US}} Former HuffPost managing director Jimmy Soni and David Polyansky, the former Chief of Staff to Ted Cruz, were hired through the Clout Public Affairs division to advocate for Cameroonian interests in Washington.{{Cite web|title=Cameroon {{!}} White Washing the Dictator - ZAM|url=https://www.zammagazine.com/arts/1320-cameroon-white-washing-the-dictator|access-date=2021-09-24|website=www.zammagazine.com}}
Axiom consultants were contracted to promote a “positive and favorable image” of Cameroon’s government through digital ads and to place "targeted op eds in conservative-oriented outlets in order to foster a robust and growing partnership narrative into the future...” according to Department of Justice filings.{{Cite web|last=Meyer|first=Theodoric|title=Former Cruz aides working for Cameroon|url=https://politi.co/2ZgNWhc|access-date=2021-09-24|website=POLITICO|language=en}}
In 2020, Axiom Strategies terminated its contract with the Cameroonian government.{{Cite web|title=Roll Call for Cameroon's Lobbyists|url=http://www.vanguardafrica.com/africawatch/2020/8/10/roll-call-for-cameroons-shameless-lobbyists|access-date=2021-09-24|website=Vanguard Africa|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=July 31, 2020|title=Supplemental Statement - Pursuant To The Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, As Amended|url=https://efile.fara.gov/docs/6700-Supplemental-Statement-20200623-6.pdf|website=United States Department of Justice}}