Quick Info
| Profession | Republican pollster and political strategist |
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| Nationality | American |
| Date of Birth | 1978 |
Latest News about Patrick Ruffini
Patrick Ruffini, co-founder of Echelon Insights, analysed polling in three Midwestern states, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio, and found that 93 percent of Senate polls overestimated the Democratic candidate's performance. His findings were reported as part of a broader debate among Republicans about whether polls are overstating Democratic strength ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Ruffini discussed on the Decision Desk HQ podcast an analysis he published on his Substack, The Intersection, which found that Senate polls in recent cycles have tended to overstate Democratic performance relative to final outcomes. The analysis focused especially on red-leaning states that Democrats need to win in the 2026 midterms.
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Patrick Ruffini is an American Republican pollster and political strategist known for work on digital campaigning, political data, and polling. He co-founded the polling and analytics firm Echelon Insights in 2014 and previously founded the political media firm Engage. He is also the author of the 2023 book Party of the People, which examines the multiracial populist coalition reshaping the Republican Party. In 2026 he has been publicly analysing whether Senate polling is overstating Democratic support in the midterm cycle. |
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Educational Qualification(s)
| Bachelor's degree | University of Pennsylvania, class of 2000 |
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| High school | Greenwich High School, Greenwich, Connecticut, graduated 1996 |
Personal Life
| Residence | Washington, D.C. suburbs |
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| Spouse | Married to a woman from Iowa (name not publicly verified) |
Career
| Republican National Committee | Lead digital strategist (2005-2006); eCampaign Director (2005-2007); earlier tenure at the RNC from 2002-2003 |
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| Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign | Webmaster and ran the campaign blog, which was the first affiliated with an incumbent president |
| Engage, LLC | Founder of this Washington, D.C.-based political media firm, founded in 2007, later serving as partner and president |
| Echelon Insights | Co-founder (2014) and founding partner of the polling, analytics and political research firm |
| Writing and commentary | Author of Party of the People (2023); contributor to The Washington Post, FiveThirtyEight, Politico, and National Review; blogger since 2001, front-page contributor for RedState and Townhall.com; writes the Substack newsletter The Intersection |
| Rebuild the Party | Co-authored the Republican renewal platform after the 2008 election |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Grew up in France, Italy, and Greenwich, Connecticut | |
| 2. Began blogging in 2001 | |
| 3. Was named a Rising Star in American politics by Campaigns and Elections' Politics magazine in 2008 | |
| 4. Began his career working for President George W. Bush |
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