Mary Isenhour

Isenhour also previously worked as executive director of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee, and started a political consulting firm with former state party chairman T.J. Rooney.

[8] From 1991 to 1995, Isenhour served as Chief of Staff to House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer,[5][9][10] where she worked with Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike to advance legislation, served as a liaison between Sawyer and other officials, and worked with members of leadership and committees to develop legislative strategies and build coalitions.

She described it as an attempt to avoid a repeat of 1994 elections, in which Democrats suffered major losses in both federal and state offices during the Republican Revolution.

[5][14] Isenhour assisted with Bob Casey, Jr.'s successful 2006 campaign against Republican incumbent Rick Santorum,[23] served as political adviser to state House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody,[1] and ran Governor Ed Rendell's successful 2006 re-election campaign against challenger Lynn Swann,[15][24] after which she helped plan Rendell's 2007 inauguration.

[1] Isenhour was also chosen as the Pennsylvania state director for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign,[3][6][14] after Rendell recommended her for the position.

[27] There was talk of Isenhour continuing to work with the Clinton administration after the primary, but she instead returned to her position with the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.

[23] Isenhour also taught about electoral politics at other educational institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Central Penn College and The Washington Center.

[32] After Wolf's successful election, Isenhour co-chaired his inaugural committee,[34][35] then worked as his Secretary of Legislative Affairs,[25][31] serving as a liaison during negotiating sessions at the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and providing key planning during the governor's budget strategy.

[24] Political reporter John L. Micek wrote of Isenhour: "She is in the unique position of having to work with Republicans she once ran campaigns against.

[3][24][31] Wolf called Isenhour "one of my closest advisors" and "a valuable part of my administration",[14] and said she "really understands how the politics of this place actually works.

[6] The Butler Eagle wrote an editorial criticizing the appointment due to her position on the Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania board, in light of a national controversy over undercover videos about the group's alleged sale of aborted fetal body parts.

[6][24] In October 2015, four months into the state budget impasse, Isenhour issued a memo notifying Wolf's administration of a hiring freeze and travel ban.

[37] On February 3, 2016, Isenhour notified the state Public Employee Retirement Commission that, under Wolf's orders, all employment of its staff would be discontinued.

Mary Isenhour became the senior campaign adviser for Tom Wolf (pictured) in his bid for Pennsylvania governor.