Ashlee Rich Stephenson Joins NewsNation

The Hidden Cost of Delay: Why Federal Lease Renewals Need a Proactive Strategy For federal agencies, lease renewals can feel like a distraction from mission-critical work—until delays cause real consequences: higher costs, relocation headaches, operational disruptions, and even political fallout. In our latest memo, AxAdvocacy Senior Advisor Giancarlo Brizzi—former Regional Commissioner for the U.S. General Services Administration Public Buildings Service—explains why early, proactive planning is essential for federal lease renewals. 📌 The risks of waiting: Lost negotiating power Unfavorable lease terms Costly temporary space Delayed facility upgrades Mission disruption 📌 Why start early: Federal approvals can take years Early alignment ensures better rates and terms Data-driven planning improves renewal success 36-month timelines dramatically reduce holdovers During his tenure at GSA, Giancarlo’s region boosted its lease replacement rate from the mid-40% range to over 90% by dollar value—all by starting early, staying disciplined, and using data to guide decisions. Federal real estate planning shouldn’t be seen as just compliance—it’s a strategic opportunity to align space with mission delivery. For agencies, the message is clear: start at least three years in advance. Your mission—and the American people—depend on it. Read the full memo HERE

U.S. Chamber Senior Political Strategist Ashlee Rich Stephenson was quoted in Politico Morning Trade on the Chamber’s recent tax polling, which showed wide support for the pro-growth provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. "'There is far more to the narrative than topline reports indicating the bill is unpopular, particularly when large percentages of the nation are not educated on the legislation itself or the personal benefits that will help communities across the nation,' wrote Ashlee Rich Stephenson, the Chamber’s senior political strategist." The New York Times also reported on the poll after Fox Business broke the news on Monday. The poll was shared by the White House Rapid Response , White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt , and the Small Business Administration . You can read the memo here .

AXADVOCACY LAUNCHES ‘STATE & LOCAL’, BRINGING NATIONAL FIREPOWER TO STATE-LEVEL COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND GRASSROOTS Firm’s new offering delivers strategic communications, grassroots mobilization, and stakeholder engagement in all 50 states

Running digital ads has never been easier - or more misused. We see it all the time: 🚫 Vague targeting 🚫 Generic creative 🚫 Metrics that measure noise, not persuasion In our latest memo, AxAdvocacy Vice President Jonathan Dickerson breaks down how undisciplined digital strategy leads to wasted spend and what smart campaigns do differently. Read the full memo here .

AxAdvocacy President Ashlee Rich Stephenson joined NewsNation recently to discuss the latest headlines, including President Trump's trip to Scotland and Kamala Harris attempting to court young voters. Watch the full interview here .

Earlier this week, Ashlee Rich Stephenson joined SiriusXM POTUS The Briefing to discuss President Trump’s recent economic wins: “Finally, having some permanency in the tax code is going to bring a lot of stability to an economy that is, to say ‘shaky’ is an understatement, following four years of the Biden administration.”

Now that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is signed into law, Congress is shifting gears toward the major year-end agenda items—and the road ahead looks bumpy. In our latest memo, AxAdvocacy Senior VP Jack Ruddy breaks down the key legislative battles to watch: Appropriations & Government Funding Defense Authorization (NDAA) Permitting Reform & Infrastructure With limited time and high stakes, organizations with policy interests in federal funding, defense, infrastructure, or permitting reform should act now. Let us know how AxAdvocacy can help you prepare. Read the full memo HERE

For the first time in modern history, the majority in the 435-member House is smaller than that of the 100-seat Senate. The razor-thin House margin includes only three GOP incumbents representing districts won by Kamala Harris—one of whom has already announced their retirement. With that context in mind, AxAdvocacy Principal of Communications Chris Pack recently spoke to the Washington Examiner’s Samantha-Jo Roth about the dangers of targeting majority-making Republicans in swing seats for not voting with the party 100 percent of the time. From the story: Chris Pack, a longtime GOP strategist and former NRCC official, said Trump-aligned influencers are short-sighted when they target lawmakers in swing districts. “When you have a Republican in a seat won by a Democrat like Kamala Harris, realizing that elected officials need to be more bipartisan in their vote should be common sense,” he explained. “But it’s not, because it’s all about getting clicks and likes and retweets for these influencers.” Chris also explained that many operatives view the primary election as the endgame—when in fact, it’s only halfway through: As the GOP charts its path forward, Pack urges the party to focus on winning general elections rather than settling scores in primaries. “Stop thinking the game ends at halftime. The game ends on Election Day in November,” he said. “You can either get a participation trophy or a vote to hold the gavel.” Read the full story HERE .

With the Supreme Court’s historic October 2024 term coming to a close, the AxAdvocacy team is pleased to share an updated version of our presentation deck detailing key cases and their potential impact on the business community.  From forum shopping to employment discrimination to parental rights, this term’s decisions will have wide-reaching effects across society. Our guide is designed to help businesses and organizations stay up to date on these issues, and enable you to plan for future legal developments that are likely to result from this set of opinions. The deck can be found here .