Senior Strategist at Strategy Group
Washington D.C. Metro Area
- Current
-
- Senior Strategist at Strategy Group
- Past
-
- Interim Executive Director at South Carolina Democratic Party
- Recount Director at South Carolina Democratic Party
- Associate at Strategy Group
- Campaign Manager at Cathy Cox for Governor
- Recount Communications at Washington State Democrats
- Communications Director at Chris Gregoire for Governor
- Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications at Governor Jim Hodges
- Deputy Campaign Manager at Hodges for Governor
- Political Director at South Carolina Democratic Party
- Staff Assistant at Office of US Senator Fritz Hollings
- Researcher and Press Assistant at Elliott Close for US Senate
- Education
-
- The George Washington University Law School
- University of South Carolina School of Law
- Brandeis University
- Porter-Gaud
- Connections
-
84
connections
- Industry
- Political Organization
Morton Brilliant’s Summary
Morton Brilliant has over a decade of local and statewide experience as a political operative in a variety of roles, including campaign manager, communications director, and a senior gubernatorial staffer.
Morton joined The Strategy Group in the 2006 election cycle, working to preserve legislative majorities in North Carolina and Maryland. He returned to the Strategy Group following a brief sojourn in his home state of South Carolina, where he ran a successful statewide recount and oversaw preparations for the state’s First-in-the-South Presidential Debate / Jefferson-Jackson Weekend as Interim Executive Director of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
In 2004, Morton was Communications Director for Chris Gregoire for Governor, one of the nation’s top-targeted gubernatorial races.
Morton served as Deputy Campaign Manager of the Hodges for Governor campaign, which gained notice as one of 1998’s biggest upsets by defeating the Chairman of the Republican Governors’ Association and electing the first new Democratic Governor in South Carolina in over twenty years. Morton went on to serve Governor Hodges for three years as his Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director. In that capacity, he was frequently quoted in state, local and national media, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and New York Times.
In the late ‘90s, Morton also worked for Senator Ernest F. “Fritz” Hollings, served as the Political Director for the South Carolina Democratic Party, ran a variety of legislative campaigns, and performed research for a U.S. Senate race.
Morton graduated with high honors from Brandeis University with a degree in Classics. In 2005, he was awarded a J.D. with honors at the George Washington University School of Law, where he was a George Washington Scholar and a Thurgood Marshall Scholar. He is a member of the South Carolina Bar.
Morton Brilliant’s Specialties:
Direct mail, election law, recounts, media strategies and relations
Morton Brilliant’s Experience
-
Senior Strategist
Strategy Group
(Public Relations and Communications industry)
June 2007 — Present (6 months)
-
Interim Executive Director
South Carolina Democratic Party
(Political Organization industry)
March 2007 — May 2007 (3 months)
-
Recount Director
South Carolina Democratic Party
(Political Organization industry)
November 2006 — November 2006 (1 month)
Guided statewide recount efforts for Jim Rex and Robert Barber.
-
Associate
Strategy Group
(Public Relations and Communications industry)
July 2006 — November 2006 (5 months)
-
Campaign Manager
Cathy Cox for Governor
(Political Organization industry)
February 2005 — April 2006 (1 year 3 months)
-
Recount Communications
Washington State Democrats
(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Political Organization industry)
November 2004 — December 2004 (2 months)
-
Communications Director
Chris Gregoire for Governor
(Political Organization industry)
May 2004 — November 2004 (7 months)
-
Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications
Governor Jim Hodges
(Government Agency; Government Administration industry)
January 1999 — August 2001 (2 years 8 months)
Did fun stuff for a cool Governor.
-
Deputy Campaign Manager
Hodges for Governor
(Political Organization industry)
December 1997 — November 1998 (1 year)
-
Political Director
South Carolina Democratic Party
(Political Organization industry)
May 1997 — December 1997 (8 months)
-
Staff Assistant
Office of US Senator Fritz Hollings
(Government Administration industry)
December 1996 — May 1997 (6 months)
-
Researcher and Press Assistant
Elliott Close for US Senate
(Political Organization industry)
August 1996 — November 1996 (4 months)
Morton Brilliant’s Education
-
The George Washington University Law School
-
University of South Carolina School of Law
-
Brandeis University
B.A., Classics and Medieval Studies, 1990 — 1994
• High honors in Classics.
• Honors thesis
• Dean's List.- Activities and Societies:
- Editor and writer at The Justice (newspaper); Student Senate; WBRS (radio)
-
Porter-Gaud
