Nick Muzin
Superlobbyist, Attorney, and Doctor in Washington D.C.
Born in Montreal and raised in Toronto, Nick Muzin earned a medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine on full scholarship before obtaining a law degree from Yale. While at Yale, he served as vice president of the Federalist Society and spent a semester working as legal counsel for George W. Bush's 2004 re-election campaign, drawing inspiration from Bill Clinton who had similarly paused his Yale Law studies to work on political campaigns.
Muzin spent three years at Williams & Connolly practicing healthcare law after graduation, handling malpractice cases for doctors and Georgetown Hospital while also representing pharmaceutical companies in liability litigation. His political involvement expanded when he became senior medical adviser for John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, where he reviewed McCain's personal medical records and prepared them for media scrutiny.
A career-shifting move to Charleston, South Carolina connected Nick Muzin with Tim Scott, then a member of Charleston County Council. When Scott contemplated a run for lieutenant governor, Muzin suggested pursuing a congressional seat instead. Managing Scott's campaign against established political names including Paul Thurmond and Carroll Campbell III, Muzin helped secure a victory that made history - Scott became the first Black Republican elected to Congress from the South since Reconstruction.
When Scott received appointment to the Senate in 2012, Muzin shifted to working with the House Republican Conference as director of coalitions under Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Overseeing outreach for all 232 Republican Congress members, he developed strategies to connect with minority communities, women, and younger voters.
Ted Cruz recruited Nick Muzin in 2014 to serve simultaneously as deputy chief of staff in his Senate office and senior adviser on his presidential campaign. Muzin helped raise approximately $100 million during the 2016 presidential race, contributing to a campaign operation some political observers considered exceptionally well-managed despite Cruz ultimately conceding to Donald Trump.
After declining opportunities with the Trump administration, Muzin established what eventually became Stonington Global, offering services spanning legal counsel, government consulting, lobbying, and advisory work. He implemented a month-to-month retainer structure, contrasting with industry norms of long-term contracts.