Steve Schale

The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners

204 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
850.222.8900 Tallahassee Office
sps@cardenaspartners.com

In 2008, Steve directed the Obama/Biden campaign in Florida, returning in 2012 as a Senior Advisor to the re-election. In 2014, he led Gwen Graham’s Congressional effort, and was an advisor to her 2018 Governor’s race. Most recently, Steve has served as the CEO of Unite the Country, a pro-Joe Biden SuperPAC which formed in October 2019 to support the candidacy of, and now the Presidency of Joe Biden.

In addition, Steve also spent twenty-five years working in and around the Florida Legislature. He was the Communications Director for the House Democratic Caucus, served as a longtime aide to former House Democratic Leader Doug Wiles (D-St. Augustine. From 2005-2008, Steve ran the Florida Democratic Party’s House Democratic Caucus, during which Florida Democrats picked off a record nine Republican seats in the state house. Today he provides strategic advice to a number of clients, including companies like Walt Disney World, AT&T, and Waymo.

Widely quoted in national media as a top expert on Florida, the St. Petersburg Times has called him “one of the savviest and most effective political strategists Florida Democrats have seen in ages.” He’s been named one of Florida’s “100 Movers and Shakers” by Florida International Magazine, one of the most influential Democrats in Florida by Campaigns and Elections Magazine, and in 2012, was named the most influential Florida Democratic strategist in Florida by the Tampa Bay Times. Steve has also been named one of the top 100 political influencers by Florida Politics Magazine in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

Steve is a graduate of The University of the South with degrees in History and Political Science and received his Masters in Communications from Florida State University.

Outside of politics, Steve serves on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida, Awesome Tallahassee, and the American Council of Young Political Leaders, with whom he has traveled in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa on political exchange and mentoring programs. Steve is also member of Leadership Florida, Cornerstone Class 31.

Steve and his wife Nikole live in Tallahassee with their two dogs, and a horse named Zeke.