Push Digital’s Wesley Donehue Exits Firm For ‘New Endeavor’
It’s the end of an era for Push Digital Group.
The South Carolina-based Republican digital and marketing juggernaut announced this week that Founding Partner Wesley Donehue is leaving the firm to pursue what the company said is a “new endeavor.” Donehue recently sold his portion of the company to Senior Partner Scott Howell, who will assume full ownership.
“When I started Push, the goal was simple: build something real. Build something that mattered. Build something that could outlast me,” Donehue said in a statement. “And we did that. But I also built it knowing I’d one day walk away. That this wasn’t forever. That day is today.”
It’s a major change for PDG, which launched in 2010 as Push Digital LLC and now oversees a portfolio of companies, including the fundraising agency Campaign Solutions, data shop Right Country Lists and advocacy firm Drive Public Affairs. Donehue oversaw the firm from its founding through a massive expansion that transformed it into a national player that rivals some of the GOP’s largest firms.
PDG said that Donehue’s departure wouldn’t affect its current clients and that its service offerings would remain unchanged.
Donehue’s decision to sell his portion of PDG wasn’t entirely unexpected. He announced earlier this year that he would step back from his leadership role at the firm to launch a tech incubator called Push Digital Group Sandbox with the goal of addressing shortcomings in the GOP’s longterm infrastructure.
Donehue has also been a vocal advocate for adopting and expanding the use of artificial intelligence tools in the political space, telling C&E earlier this year that Republicans need to pay more attention to the emerging technology. This summer, PDG launched Push AI, an initiative across all of its companies to integrate AI into every aspect of their work.
It’s unclear what Donehue plans to do next, and he did not respond to an email seeking more information on his exit from PDG. The firm’s leadership team is expected to remain the same, with Managing Partner Phil Vangelakos and COO Scott Farmer staying in their roles.
In a statement, Howell said that PDG would continue to “build on Wesley’s legacy while exploring new opportunities to serve our clients and advance causes across America.”
”Wesley has helped us build something truly special,” Howell said in a statement. “His entrepreneurial spirit, innovative mindset, and unrelenting commitment to our clients helped us build one of the largest digital companies in Republican politics. We honor his incredible dedication, energy, and vision of the digital future.”
