Whit Ayres is a leading Washington, D.C. political consultant with over 30 years of experience in polling and survey research for high profile political campaigns and associations. He is the author of 2016 and Beyond: How Republicans Can Elect a President in the New America.
As Founder and President of North Star Opinion Research, (www.northstaropinion.com) a national public opinion and public affairs research firm located in Alexandria, Virginia, Whit provides strategic insights and messaging advice to high level political clients including the Marco Rubio for President and Senate campaigns, Senators Lamar Alexander, Bob Corker, Lindsey Graham, and Jim Inhofe, and Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. His association clients include The Boy Scouts of America, The Federalist Society, and the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.
Whit and former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie are Co-Founders of Resurgent Republic, a center-right nonprofit which conducts national polls and focus groups, helping policy makers, think tanks, interest groups and others advocate for policies that are consistent with conservative principles. (www.resurgentrepublic.com)
Whit has been active in the American Association of Political Consultants (www.theaapc.org) for over 20 years, serving as its Treasurer, President, and Chairman. In 2012 Whit was honored as the Republican Pollster of the Year by the organization.
Whit has appeared as a commentator on network and cable media outlets including NBC’s Meet the Press, FOX News, CNN, and NPR. His comments and analysis appear in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and numerous regional newspapers.
Whit founded his company after a career as a tenured professor at the University of South Carolina and Budget and Policy Director for former South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell. Whit is a graduate of Davidson College and holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.