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Top Cantor aide resigns, joins GOP-backing super-PAC
Brad Dayspring, a top aide to Majority Leader Eric Cantor, is leaving and will join a super PAC that raises money for House Republicans.
Dayspring announced his departure to staff on Friday, The Hill confirmed on Saturday.
"We would like to announce that our deputy chief of staff Brad Dayspring has resigned to pursue other opportunities," said Steve Stombres, Cantor's chief of staff, in a statement.
"Brad will be missed and we wish Brad all the best luck in his future endeavors," he said.
"He was a valued employee and did an outstanding job defining and defending our Republican majority."
Dayspring was recently promoted to deputy chief of staff for the House's No. 2 Republican where he moved away from daily dealings with the Capitol Hill press corps and more into the role of legislative strategist for Cantor.
His fierce allegiance was never clearer than during Cantor's profile on "60 minutes," which was broadcast in January.
During an exchange between Cantor and Lesley Stahl over President Reagan's record on taxes — that taxes were raised during his eight years in office — Dayspring, interrupted Cantor's answer off camera with: “That’s not true, and I don’t want to let that stand.”
Cantor’s office explained that Dayspring chimed in after a series of questions not just one and that the remark referred to the sum of Reagan's tax policies — he cut taxes more than he raised them.
Dayspring is headed to the super PAC created by another former top Cantor aide, John Murray, called the YG Action Fund, a spin-off of the young guns messaging that Cantor helped start.
In the 2012 election cycle, the group has raised $255,000 and spent $96,163, according to the most recent data from the Center for Responsive Politics.
"When Young Guns was formed it was designed to help leaders like Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy chart a new course for the center-right movement and the House majority," said John Murray, president of YG Action Fund, in an email.
"Brad's years of work both on Capitol Hill and in the campaign world are a perfect blend to help take us to the next level."
Dayspring — a Villanova graduate who played hockey — has made the most of his time in Washington, gradually working his way up the ranks.
Notably,he worked at the White House for more than two years before joining President George W. Bush's reelection campaign in 2003.
A year later, he left the campaign to join the National Restaurant Association before returning to the Hill in 2005 as communications director for Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican.
He worked for now-House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) before heading over to Cantor's office.
This post was updated at 1:50 p.m.
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