A Christian, husband, and father, Dr. Travis N. Taylor left his native northeastern Oklahoma shortly after graduating from high school to serve as a Combat Medic in the U.S. Army’s storied 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  He now resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife, Stephanie, their sons, Teten and Kaden, and two Boxer dogs, Hokie and Buckeye. His oldest son, Nathan, still lives in Oklahoma. Dr. Taylor enjoys cycling, is an avid fan of southern gospel music, and is a lifelong (and diehard) Chicago Cubs devotee.

A lifelong Republican, Dr. Taylor believes in the principles of protecting life, defending our Constitution, promoting traditional values, and a limited government.  After serving for four years in the Army and two years in law enforcement, Dr. Taylor made the decision to pursue a college degree in Louisiana.  He studied Political Science at the University of Louisiana, where he founded the school’s first Political Science Club, which has been his lasting legacy at his alma mater.

It was during his time at UL when he became active in politics.  He has since served as a campaign manager, grassroots director, and direct mail and general consultant for more than 80 campaigns across 18 states, with a nearly 70% win record. In addition to winning campaigns, he is the winner of a Silver Pollie Award for Best Use of Social Pressure – Republican (2013), a Bronze Pollie Award for Best Use of Social Pressure – Public Affairs (2013), and a Bronze Pollie Award for Best Use of TV – Student (2014).

In 2011, Dr. Taylor moved to Washington, DC, to continue his career in politics and to advance the principles of conservatism.  He interned briefly for Oklahoma Republican Congressman James Lankford and then worked as a Legislative Correspondent for Republican Congressman Steven Palazzo. Following his stint on Capitol Hill, Dr. Taylor moved to the political research office of American Principles In Action, a conservative non-profit advocacy firm in downtown Washington and later did some grassroots work for a Richmond, Virginia, based advocacy organization.

While pursuing his Master’s Degree from the Graduate School of Political Management at the George Washington University, Dr. Taylor studied as a Second Service Fellow, a program designed to provide veterans the skills necessary for success in the political arena. Also while at GW, he further honed his skills in professional politics working for one of the nation’s largest GOP direct mail firms, Kansas City based Candidate Command. He later worked as an associate to the iconic Republican consultant, Carlyle Gregory, who managed former Speaker Newt Gingrich’s first successful campaign for Congress.

Following the completion of his Master’s program, he moved back to Louisiana in 2014 to work for Innovative Advertising, a New Orleans area consulting firm and advertising agency recently recognized by INC Magazine as one of the top 100 agencies in America, where he served conservative candidates and outside groups as a Political Account Coordinator. He is formerly an Adjunct Instructor of Applied Politics at New York University and a Facilitator of Political Management at the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. In both of those academic roles, Dr. Taylor taught online graduate-level courses to aspiring political campaign managers. He also served as a Guest Editor for Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics.  He blogs at The Mud Bath and is the former Editor in Chief and co-founder of the DC Young Republican blog, RightDC.

Dr. Taylor is currently a post-doctoral scholar  in the Department of Political Science at the University of Kentucky, where he teaches courses in American politics with an emphasis on law and courts. He holds a Ph.D. and Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky, a Master’s Degree in Political Management from the George Washington University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Louisiana. He is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants, American Political Science Association, Southern Political Science Association, Midwest Political Science Association, Academy of Political Science, Phi Kappa Phi, and the American Legion.