Kamala Harris’s Communications Director Has Politics in Her Blood

Lily Adams comes from a family of big players. These days, she’s made a name for herself.

As Senator Kamala Harris builds out her 2020 presidential campaign team, she’s filling some key roles. Lily Adams will be among those taking on leadership positions, Time reports. For Adams, who has been Harris’ communications director since December 2016, just after the victory that sent her to Washington, politics is nothing new. She was raised by a family of leaders. Her mother is Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood, and her grandmother was Ann Richards, the fiery ex-governor of Texas.

“I was raised in a family that was incredibly politically active,” Adams told Fusion. “Our dining room table was always where we were doing mailings or sorting precinct lists. My grandmother was elected in Texas, and I just didn’t think it was something that was unusual to be involved in from an early age.”

lily adams kamala harris cecile richards ann richards — Governor Ann Richards in 2004

The Texas-raised Adams has carried on the family tradition by building her own career in Democratic politics. She worked in communications for Governor Ted Strickland, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and Senator Tim Kaine.

In 2015, at age 28, she took over as Iowa communications chief for Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Clinton carried the Iowa caucuses, and that experience is probably something that Senator Harris is going to be looking to rely on going into her own early contests for the 2020 nomination.

Harris seems to be the Democratic contender with the most buzz at the moment, but the road to the nomination is not going to be easy for any candidate. As we get closer to Iowa and New Hampshire, more aspirants will continue to throw their hats into the ring, vying for the chance to take on Trump. While there’s a long way left to go, having someone with Adams’ political savvy and lineage on board seems like a move in the right direction.

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Source: Los Angeles Magazine