Who We Are

The A-Team Every Time

At big firms, your campaign is just another order at the factory.

Pushed to a rookie with a template and an AI script.

Here, we’re boutique and battle-tested. With Direct Edge Campaigns, you get operatives who’ve been in the foxhole under fire and delivered — for decades.

We know campaign strategy inside and out because we’ve lived it. We’ve flipped chambers. We’ve prevailed when odds were stacked against us.

When your political future is on the line, you want seasoned fighters.
Not amateurs.

Read How We Do Things

Leadership

Gregory Gleaves

Founder & President

  • Founded Direct Edge Campaigns in 2013
  • Became Chief of Staff to the TN House Speaker after helping Republicans capture the chamber in 2010 for the first time since Reconstruction as the TN Republican Party Executive Director
  • Worked in the Washington, D.C. office of the late, great, Senator Fred Thompson
  • Served as Southeast Political Director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses
  • Master’s Degree in Political Management from George Washington University and Bachelor’s in Business from the University of Tennessee
  • Married to Lei Ann with two children, Luke and Ava, and their dog, Oreo

First Campaign

The first campaign I ever worked on was Blake Lay for State Senate—a rural, eight-county district right here in Tennessee. I lived above a trucking company in Lawrenceburg and the campaign headquarters were steps outside my makeshift bedroom.

Favorite Election Nights

In 2010 I was the executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party, and that year, we picked up 14 seats in the Tennessee House, gaining the first majority since Reconstruction. Our Congressional delegation going into the night was 5-4, majority Democrat. At the end of the night, it was 7-2, majority Republican. That night changed Tennessee politics forever. Another election night that meant a lot to me was in 2014. My first cycle with Direct Edge, when we were a part of flipping the West Virginia House and Senate to Republican majorities, we also won other races around the country from city council to the United States Senate.

Favorite Job

My favorite job was driver for the late, great Senator Fred Thompson, which was my second ever political gig. Talk about an education. When talking about my career once, I was bemoaning my lack of a clear direction. He responded, “Hell, I’m almost 60 and I still don’t know what I wanna be when I grow up.” That’s one thing I learned from him: Life is a journey. I wrote about that experience here.

Best campaign advice

Be nice to interns. They may be your boss one day. I’ve been hired by several of my former interns and staffers who have reached positions of leadership within the Republican party.

Adam Feldman

Vice President

  • Worked for over 25 years in political roles across the country
  • Expanded the Republican supermajority in the Kentucky State House by capturing an additional 14 seats as Political Director at the Republican Party of Kentucky
  • Served as a member of New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez’s political team
  • Helped Republicans take over the New Mexico State House for the first time in 60 years
  • Political Science Degree from Eastern Kentucky University
  • Married to Dana with one child, Diana

Favorite Campaign

The 2010 Susana Martinez for New Mexico Governor campaign – we had a great team that had a lot of fun causing havoc for the Democrats that year.

Best Election Night

The 2020 election night with the Republican Party of Kentucky was the best. We expanded our “Super Majority” to a “Super-Duper Majority” and won every race we played in, with the exception of one.

Toughest Victory

David Adkins, New Mexico State House, 2014. We defeated a 10-term incumbent in the primary by about 20 votes.

Best Boss in Politics

My best boss in politics was Don Todd, National Republican Senatorial Committee Research Director in 2000. I learned a lot about research from Don and I still use those skills today.

Biggest Upset

The 2009 RJ Berry for Albuquerque Mayor was the biggest upset of which I was a part. No one gave us a chance when we defeated a 3-term incumbent who was nicknamed “Mayor for Life.”

Arika Miller

Creative Director

  • Founded Arika Miller Designs in 2009
  • Began working with Direct Edge Campaigns in 2022
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a concentration in Graphic Design from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Mom to Ethan and Lauren and our boxer, Juju

Favorite Candidate

My favorite candidate was Ken Fontenot, who ran–and won!–for the North Carolina House of Representatives. Working on the Fontenot campaign was exciting because we did a lot of unique and creative pieces of mail. I also love that it was a North Carolina race, which is where I live. I admired that he was a veteran, preacher, and former teacher and I knew his win would have a great impact not only on the people in his district but in all of North Carolina.

Favorite Mail Design

My favorite piece of mail that I designed was the ‘’Where in the World is Howard Hunter’ piece. It was a fun play on the 1980’s Carmen Sandiego character but also important to educate voters that an elected official missed several key sessions and votes. I enjoy using humor with the hopes that it will resonate with the public and get the message across. An added bonus is that this piece won a Reed award for Direct Edge!

Greg Manz

Senior Strategist

  • Senior Staff member in the Office of the Speaker, Michigan House of Representatives.2024 Communications Director for the Michigan House Republican Campaign Committee.
  • National Strategic Advisor for President Donald J. Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. Spokesman for the 2016 Trump campaign in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
  • Communications Director for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.
  • Served as Iowa Deputy State Director for Dr. Ben Carson’s presidential campaign.
  • Directed statewide field operations for the Pennsylvania House Republican Campaign Committee.
  • Magna cum laude & Phi Beta Kappa graduate of University of New Hampshire and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government.
  • Competed in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey at the University of New Hampshire. Earned Hockey East All-Academic honors four consecutive years.

First Campaign Experience

My first campaign experience involved overseeing four campaigns in Southeast Pennsylvania for the Pennsylvania House Republican Campaign Committee. The most rewarding part wasn’t Election Day itself, it was knocking doors alongside the candidates, hearing voters’ concerns firsthand, and watching months of hard work unfold one conversation at a time. Seeing all four incumbents win reelection in 2012 reinforced a lesson I’ve carried throughout my career: victorious campaigns require authentic voter engagement and relentless grassroots efforts.

Memorable Election Nights

A favorite election night of mine was in 2016, when President Trump carried Pennsylvania. It was a historic campaign that battled through adversity and defied expectations when many political pundits believed victory was impossible. The win was especially significant because it marked the first time a Republican had carried Pennsylvania since George H. W. Bush in 1988. Seeing the results come in and realizing Pennsylvania had become the tipping point in a presidential election was an unforgettable moment in my career.

Another memorable election night was 2024, when Michigan House Republicans reclaimed the majority, making it the only legislative chamber in the nation to flip from Democrat to Republican control during that election cycle.

Best Bosses

David Urban and John Ullyot, who supervised me during the 2016 Trump campaign, were the best bosses I have had the opportunity to work for during my career. As the campaign’s Senior Strategist in Pennsylvania, David oversaw the Keystone State’s political strategy and ground operations. John oversaw communications across a portfolio of battleground states, including Pennsylvania, and directly managed my work. Together, they taught me invaluable lessons about discipline, message development, and the importance of executing under pressure. From John, I learned the art of media relations and how to write quickly and clearly in a fast-moving news cycle. From David, I learned the value of strategic thinking, attention to detail, and relentless execution. Their mentorship played a major role in shaping my approach to political communications and campaign management.

What advice would you give someone starting their career in politics?

Never stop networking. Politics is a relationship business, and many of the best opportunities come through the connections you build along the way. Stay in touch with people, be willing to introduce yourself, and treat everyone with respect. The relationships you build today can open doors for years to come.

Julia Long

Marketing Manager

 

  • Born and Raised in Ormond Beach, FL
  • Graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Degree in Marketing
  • Received her MBA from Belmont University in Nashville, TN
  • Scored in the top 5% nationally for MBA ETS exam
  • Became Marketing Manager for Direct Edge in 2025

Most Valuable Lesson Learned

 The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that growth, both personally and professionally, comes from taking risks. Failure isn’t truly failure, it’s a learning opportunity that helps you improve and move forward. You can’t grow if you never step outside your comfort zone and take chances.

Most Valuable Mentor

My most valuable mentor in life has been my older brother Johnny Long. He is an extremely hardworking man whose passion and dedication to his work is noticeable by everyone. He has accomplished many remarkable things for his age and all while being an amazing support to everyone in his life. I have been so fortunate to have him as a role model to look up to as I have grown up.

What Motivates You? 

What motivates me the most is learning new skills or mastering a new area. I find joy in continuous learning and development. Nothing gets me more excited than mastering a new skill that I can take with me to improve my work and life in general.

The most important thing learned while getting an MBA

The most important thing I learned during my MBA program was the value of seeing the bigger picture and balancing short-term goals with long-term strategy. Being able to take courses in every division of business let me see that a successful company is strong in all aspects. All aspects of business, whether that is marketing, finance, administration, or creatives are only as good individually as they are as a whole. It is crucial that you do not just look for success in the short term but create sustainable strategies that will keep the business a well oiled machine in the long run.

Alexandra Jones

Operations Coordinator

  • Began working with Direct Edge Campaigns in 2026
  • Background in operations, HR, and business administration within the SaaS industry and state government
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology from Louisiana State University
  • Cat mom to Rosie

Most Valuable Lesson Learned

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that consistency and following through build trust. When people know they can rely on you, work moves faster, and collaboration becomes easier. Showing up, meeting deadlines, and communicating clearly create a strong foundation for any team. Over time, that reliability makes a meaningful difference.

What Motivates You?

I’m motivated by helping other people succeed, whether that’s supporting a team, solving problems, or making complex processes easier. I enjoy being the person others can rely on and helping them reach their goals. Contributing behind the scenes to work that has a real impact is what makes my role especially rewarding.