Mike Madrid

Mike Madrid is Principal at Grassroots Lab, a premier campaign management and lobbying firm located in California. Madrid has been changing the outcomes of political campaigns throughout the country. His active involvement in local, state, and federal races has helped him to develop a keen insight into the successful characteristics of winning campaigns.

Madrid is a nationally recognized expert on Latino voting trends. He graduated from the Edmund G. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1997, where he wrote his senior thesis on Latino politics and the perspective that politicization of emerging Latino voter groups in Southwestern states was unique in American history.

The completion of his thesis at Georgetown University in Washington DC on Latino voters became the basis for his pioneering work on Latino communications and outreach strategies in California, Texas, Florida and nationwide. He has served as the press secretary for the California Assembly Republican leader and as the political director for the California Republican Party. In these roles, Madrid played a key role in pioneering Latino outreach and communications strategies.

In 2001 he was named as one of America’s “Most Influential Hispanics” by Hispanic Business Magazine. He is a regular commentator on Latino political issues in statewide and national media publications.

Since 2000, Madrid has also developed an expertise in local governments in California. He served as the public affairs director to the League of California Cities. He was also a key adviser in the defeat of Proposition 90 (The Taxpayer Trap), No on Prop 98, Yes on Prop 99, and Yes on Prop 22.

In 2011, Madrid helped develop the Leadership California Institute, an organization dedicated to educating and training future legislators before they get in office. He is regularly sought out by statewide campaigns seeking key messaging and support. In 2020, he co-founded The Lincoln Project, an American political action committee for Republicans that oppose President Trump and Trumpism. In 2023, he was awarded the UnidosUS Capital Award. In 2024, Madrid released The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy, published by Simon and Schuster.

Madrid is the editor and publisher of California City News, a news site dedicated to “the best politics, policy and practices of local government in California.”

Study Group: “The 2026 Midterms in Real Time”

This course offers a real-time analysis of the 2026 midterm elections, including the political landscape, voter behavior, and campaign strategies that are shaping state and national outcomes. Students will explore key factors such as polling, media influence, fundraising, and demographic shifts while tracking key developments throughout the election cycle. By the end of the course, participants will gain a deeper understanding of electoral dynamics, the 2028 presidential campaign, and the broader implications for American politics.

Study Group Time: Thursdays, 12PM to 2PM

Study Group Dates:
September 17
September 24
October 1
October 15
October 22
October 29
November 5
November 12
November 19
Note: No class Oct. 8 (Fall Recess)

Apply for Mike Madrid’s Study Group