User:James M. Demers

James M. Demers is a New Hampshire political figure. He is the founder of the Demers Group and serves as president and chief executive officer of Demers and Blaisdell Inc, a Concord, N.H.-based government affairs firm. He is a registered lobbyist in New Hampshire. Since 2013, he has been a consultant in the New England office of Purple Strategies, a political communications firm. He is also a member of the board of directors for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. government's development finance institution. President Barack Obama (D) nominated Demers to the OPIC board of directors in 2012. His nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate in 2013.

Career

In 1986, James Demers ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic candidate for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District. Prior to that he served three terms as a Democratic member in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and was the assistant minority whip. In 1988, he was co-chair of former majority leader and Democratic leader in the United States House of Representatives Richard Gephardt's (D-Mo.) New Hampshire primary campaign for President. From 1990 to 1991, he was vice president for government affairs with Marine Midland Bank in New York, N.Y., and from 1991 to 1996 he held a similar position with The Associates Corporation in Dallas, Texas.

In 1996, he founded the Demers Group, which was later renamed Demers and Blaisdell Inc. Demers and Blaisdell is a Concord, N.H.-based government affairs firm. From 1997 to 2007, he served as president and executive director of the New England-New York-New Jersey Financial Services Association, and from 1997 to 2010 he was executive director of the National Card Association, "an organization consisting of major national credit card issuers."

In 2004, Demers was state chairman for Gephardt's 2004 presidential primary campaign in New Hampshire. In 2007 and 2008, he was co-chair in New Hampshire for Barack Obama's (D) 2008 campaign for the Democratic party nomination for president. In 2008, the New Hampshire Secretary of State appointed him to the New Hampshire International Trade Advisory Committee. In 2012 he was selected to be one of New Hampshire’s members of the presidential Elector College, voting for Barack Obama. President Barack Obama (D) nominated Demers to the OPIC board of directors in February 2012. His nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate in 2013. Since 2013, he has been a consultant in the New England office of Purple Strategies, a political communications firm.

Demers was named among the "10 Most Powerful" by Business NH Magazine. The magazine, in which he is called a "lobbying powerhouse," quoted an unnamed source who said of Demers: In 2013, he was named to the list of Top 500 Influencers in American Politics by Campaigns & Elections Magazine,

During the 2016 presidential election he was a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton, serving as a volunteer advisor during the New Hampshire primary and he was a common voice in state and national media outlets.