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Political Whiz Kids Hope to 'Bring The Magic' To Pedro Celis Campaign

caption: From Virginia to Washington State: campaign manager Zachary Werrell and communications director Gray Delany now run Republican Pedro Celis' campaign for Congress in the 1st District
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From Virginia to Washington State: campaign manager Zachary Werrell and communications director Gray Delany now run Republican Pedro Celis' campaign for Congress in the 1st District
KUOW Photo/Deborah Wang

Zachary Werrell and Gray Delany are barely out of college, but they already enjoy a national reputation.

They were the masterminds behind Tea Party candidate David Brat's campaign against former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Virginia. Brat, an economics professor, ousted Cantor in a June primary, in what some called the biggest political upset in US history.

Last month, after a lackluster primary finish, Republican Pedro Celis hired Werrell and Delany to come to Washington state to salvage his struggling campaign against Democrat Suzan DelBene in the 1st Congressional District.

In this extended interview, Werrell and Delany talk about Celis' politics, the importance of the ground game, and why they initially hated (and now love) the campaign's "Vote For Pedro" slogan.

For more KUOW elections coverage, visit the Election Connection page.

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