Kieran Mahoney
Chief Executive OfficerKieran is one of the nation’s leading political and public affairs strategists, using his extensive political experience and unrivaled knowledge of New York politics to provide his wide variety of political and business clients counsel with an edge in their toughest battles.
Dubbed one of the “best political strategists of his generation” by The New York Times
Managed successful public affairs campaigns, proxy fights, and public relations battles for industry leaders across a variety of industries
Clients have included well-known companies in the Fortune 500 including Microsoft, AT&T and Lockheed Martin
Served as senior adviser to all three of Governor George Pataki’s campaigns
Consulted for many of the most hotly contested races for over a generation, securing victories in a number of different states
Read Full BioMercury is home to more than one hundred experts that collaborate on local and global high-stakes challenges.
see expertsKieran Mahoney is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mercury.
He is one of the nation’s leading political and public affairs strategists, providing counsel to a wide variety of political and business clients.
Mr. Mahoney founded Mercury in 1999, growing the company from a boutique communications firm in New York to the largest bipartisan strategic consultancy in the industry, with over 100 strategists in offices nationwide.
Mr. Mahoney founded Mercury after a distinguished career in politics. He served as the U.S. House of Representatives Chief of Staff from 1986 to 1989, and the U.S. Senate Chief of Staff from 1990 to 1992. Working as a consultant and pollster from 1992 to 1999, Mr. Mahoney has run elections and conducted polling in over 30 states.
Nationally, Mr. Mahoney managed Senator Alfonse D’Amato’s comeback re-election victory in 1992, and was instrumental in Senator Gordon Smith’s come-from-behind upset Senate election in Oregon in 1996. A chief consultant for Senator Smith, Mr. Mahoney helped take the toss-up race and break it wide open, with Smith winning by sixteen points. He went on to consult for many hotly contested races in 2002, continuing to achieve historic victories for the U.S. Senate.
Mr. Mahoney is also a prominent figure in New York politics, where he served as a senior adviser on all three of Governor George Pataki’s campaigns: first in 1994 as a top strategist and manager of Pataki’s first gubernatorial campaign that ended Democrat Mario Cuomo’s twelve-year reign. He subsequently led Pataki to an unprecedented victory in 1998, winning the highest margin of victory in state history, and advised on Pataki’s re-election bid in 2002.
Also in 2002, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the Republican Leadership Council (RLC) sought out Mr. Mahoney’s expertise. As media consultant for the NRSC, Mr. Mahoney worked on the successful independent expenditure campaigns for John Sununu in New Hampshire, Norm Coleman in Minnesota, and Lamar Alexander in Tennessee. Mr. Mahoney was also a national political advisor to the 1996 Dole for President campaign.
Dubbed one of the “best political strategists of his generation” by The New York Times, Mr. Mahoney’s clients have included many well-known companies in the Fortune 500 including Microsoft, AT&T, Lockheed Martin and industry leaders in telecommunications, healthcare, energy, and transportation.
He lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife Sara, three sons and daughter.