Lobbying world

Clay Middleton, former senior adviser on Sen. Cory Booker’s (D-N.J.) 2020 presidential campaign, was hired as a senior vice president at Mercury Public Affairs. Middleton, a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard, was director of business services for the City of Charleston before joining Booker’s campaign. He previously served as regional political director for Hillary for America and was low country director for Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) from 2003 to 2011.

Comcast Corp. promoted Mitch Rose from senior vice president of federal government affairs to executive vice president of federal government affairs. He succeeds Kathy Zachem, who is retiring after 13 years with Comcast. Before Comcast, Rose was vice president of government relations at The Walt Disney Co., a position he held after serving as chief of staff to the late Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

Armstrong Robinson was promoted from vice president of legislative affairs to senior vice president of government affairs at the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting. He succeeds Chris Morton, who left in April for the American Land Title Association. Robinson previously worked as a director at Prime Policy Group and before that was chief of staff and counsel for ex-Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-Pa.).

The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) promoted Catherine McDaniel to senior vice president of member advocacy from her previous position as vice president of federal affairs. Before joining the trade group, she was a director with the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.

The WSWA also promoted Kari Langerman, who has been with the association for nearly 15 years, to vice president of meetings and conventions. She previously was senior director of meetings and conventions. Langerman was meetings and awards coordinator at the American Resort Development Association before joining the WSWA.

The Public Affairs Council promoted European office senior manager João Sousa to manage the council’s international network. Sousa was a spokesman for the European Union before joining the council in 2019.