Red And Blue Come Together For 'Purple Party'; Purple Strategies Bash Draws Political Powerbrokers!

SOUTHEAST -- Of all of the events taking place throughout the District on Wednesday night, one of the most elusive invitations in town remained a spot on the guest list to Purple Strategies’ inaugural corporate bash.



Held inside the North Hall of the Capitol Hill neighborhood’s historic Eastern Market, the crowded event was aptly dubbed the “Purple Party” and invited friends of the rapidly growing firm the chance to talk and network in a more relaxed environment than typical work schedules normally afford.


The product of a well-timed 2008 merger between two respected Republican (red) and Democratic (blue) firms – National Media and Issue & Image – Purple Strategies is committed to helping its clients navigate the volatile and sometimes hostile territory now inherent in today’s polarized political climate.


By leveraging such a uniquely balanced perspective on public affairs, it strives to turn day-to-day partisanship into what is essentially a competitive corporate advantage.


And as word spread throughout Washington over the past few weeks about Purple Strategies’ upcoming ‘2-1-12’ party, the event became a ‘must attend’ for many of the city’s political movers-and-shakers.


Given each of their storied career pasts, company founders Alex Castellanos and Steve McMahon were guaranteed a who’s who of supporters turning out to celebrate with them and last night surely didn’t disappoint.


Spotted milling about underneath the building’s vaulted ceilings were Senator John Thune (R-SD), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), Senator Mike Bennet (D-CO), Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), former Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard and Tom Boyd (co-chairs of DLA Piper’s Government Affairs Practice Group), Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI), former Delaware Governor and Congressman Mike Castle, and Ambassador Tom Korologos, former United States Ambassador to Belgium.


Such esteemed guests were in addition to Purple Strategies’ own Rob Collins, Jim Jordan, John Donovan, Bruce Haynes, Mark Squier, Dick Keil, Stephen Smith, Tyler Boyd, Sarah Hamlett, Elizabeth Lauten, and Joe Householder, who all barely had a chance to enjoy the live musical performances of Buster Brown and the Get Down amidst a never-ending sea of well-wishers and friends.


Purple politics? Perfect.