Sean Downey, a partner with Hilltop, has twenty years of experience in political management, coalition-building, and organizing and communications strategy at the local, state and national levels.

During the 2019-2020 presidential primary cycle, U.S. Senator Cory Booker tapped Sean to serve as Deputy National Political Director and Senior Advisor for New Hampshire. In these roles, he was responsible for executing the campaign’s overall national political strategy and advised on politics, communications and organizing operations in the Granite State. Later in the 2020 campaign cycle, Sean advised the Biden-Harris campaign.

Prior to joining Hilltop, Sean served as District Director for U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, leading the Congresswoman’s New Hampshire staff.

Since 2014, while managing client campaigns and projects in a variety of states, Sean has also played a central role in the development of Hilltop’s energy and infrastructure practice. He has been part of a Hilltop team that has served globally recognized firms on innovative renewable energy developments and cutting edge community outreach and public affairs programs. He has also helped major brands in technology and other sectors with media strategy and planning services.

During the 2012 campaign cycle, Sean served as Political Director for President Obama’s re-election campaign in New Hampshire. Sean led a department tasked with managing high-level relationships, overseeing the campaign’s work with organized labor, and activating a broad range of in-state surrogates in support of the campaign’s communications and organizing goals. New Hampshire delivered President Obama the second-widest margin of victory among all battleground states, leading the way to a Democratic wave and retaining the Governor’s office, flipping both congressional districts and a majority in the House of Representatives and Executive Council.

In 2011, Sean was named Executive Director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, overseeing all party operations. The cycle saw Democrats maintain commanding majorities in both houses of the New Jersey legislature.

As Senior Advisor to New Hampshire Governor John Lynch during his 2010 campaign, Sean helped Lynch win re-election to an unprecedented fourth term in the corner office despite a national Republican tide.

Sean’s other political work has included advisory roles with several statewide and congressional campaigns and senior positions with U.S. Senator Chris Dodd’s campaign for president, U.S. Senator Evan Bayh and the NH Senate Democratic Caucus and roles in both the Capitol Hill office and New Hampshire presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman.

Sean holds a degree in Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross.