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William B. Travis

William Barret Travis was only 26 when he was shot to death while leading the defense of the Alamo. The young attorney had forecasted his own death at an early age. It turns out he was right.

While in the Alamo, William B. Travis found himself in an impossible situation. The structure was far too vast to defend with the troops at his disposal, so much so that he had been ordered to abandon the position. He shared co-command with a dissipated old drunkard, Jim Bowie, who spent most of his time in bed slowly dying of alcoholic pneumonia. Travis sent out numerous calls for aid (the most inspiring of which is below), but was answered in the end only by a handful of volunteers from Tennessee, led by a famous Congressman, Davy Crockett, bearing a long rifle and longwinded advice.

Nevertheless, Travis’ 13-day defense at the Alamo slowed the advance of the Mexican Army, allowing for the creation of the Texas government and the organization of a new Army under Sam Houston. He is a true hero of the Texas Revolution, and the patron figure of our Campaign Academy.

Victory or Death.

So, What is the William B. Travis Campaign Academy?

Founded in 2011, the William B. Travis Campaign Academy has helped hundreds of political operatives get their start in electoral politics. The goal of the school is simple: provide young political operatives with the basic knowledge they need to be successful in their first or second political posting. The instruction is very practical and hands-on. Instead of talking about canvassing doors – we go canvass doors. We do not just demonstrate political technology – you get to use it.

For students who are already familiar with the basic campaign operations, we are offering the advanced program that plunges students in the middle of a fictional campaign scenario. Students make decisions about targeting their campaign, and they prepare voter contact plans – all while using political data from actual elections.

Participants in both schools will benefit from an excellent group of guest speakers, who discuss analytics, press relations, fundraising, digital operations, crisis management, polling, and many other topics foundational to a political career.

A Little Bit About Murphy Nasica and Associates

Originally founded in Texas, Murphy Nasica and Associates (MNA) is a political consulting firm that serves clients at every level of government: municipal, state, and federal. The victories that began in the Texas Legislature have stretched across the rest of the country. MNA has assisted clients in every region of the United States.

From 2015 through 2018, our Grassroots Department operated in 20 states, winning numerous races. Our skilled staff uses information from our analytics team to create award-winning grassroots plans that deliver victory for our clients.

Alongside our Grassroots Department, our Creative Department develops high-quality mail, print, television, and radio advertisements. From 2015 through 2018, our Creative Department showcased its talents by mailing over 12 million innovative mail pieces, and creating television advertisements that reached over 15 million people.

Murphy Nasica and Associates offers an internship program every summer to aspiring campaign operatives. Our internship program assists interns in gaining political experience and growing a professional network. We help our interns get their first jobs in politics, including working in the Texas Capitol, managing local municipal races, canvassing for Congressional candidates, and even professional work at MNA.

Murphy Nasica and Associates has proudly sponsored the William B. Travis Campaign Academy since 2011.

Past Speakers