Pundits Rove, Messina to explore politics and power at WTW26

Top campaign strategists Karl Rove and Jim Messina will offer Work Truck Week 2026 attendees expert insights into the American political landscape ahead of the pivotal U.S. midterm elections. The Republican and Democrat will share the stage for a bipartisan conversation as keynote speakers at NTEA Annual Meeting on Thursday, March 12.

Rove and Messina are two of the most sought-after pundits on politics due to their deep understanding and shrewd analysis of the political scene. Both have orchestrated successful presidential campaigns and have served as senior White House advisors, Rove for President George W. Bush, and Messina for President Barack Obama. Their keynote discussion will be moderated by Rick Albertini, 2026 NTEA Convention chair, and president & CEO at Phenix Truck & Van (Pomona, California).

“Given the current state of American politics, it can be tough to find a balanced perspective,” Albertini says. “We are giving Work Truck Week attendees the opportunity to hear about important issues from both sides. Rove and Messina will share their insider perspectives on what is happening in the country, what it means and what we can expect in the future. Along the way, they’ll also provide valuable tips about leadership, strategy and planning.”

Before rising to national prominence as “The Architect” of Bush’s successful 2000 and 2004 White House campaigns, Rove was president of Karl Rove + Company, a public affairs firm that represented more than 75 Republican U.S. Senate, Congressional and gubernatorial candidates across 24 states. 

He served as senior advisor to the president from 2000–2007 and as deputy chief of staff from 2004–2007. Rove oversaw the Offices of Strategic Initiatives, Political Affairs, Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs and was deputy chief of staff for policy, coordinating the White House policy-making process.

Today, Rove is a Fox News contributor and writes a weekly op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller “Courage and Consequence” and the critically acclaimed “The Triumph of William McKinley.” He has written for various publications, including The Daily Beast, Financial Times, Forbes, Newsweek, Washington Post and The Weekly Standard.

The mastermind behind Obama’s successful 2012 re-election campaign, Messina merged technology and politics in unprecedented ways to establish the modern presidential campaign. While serving as Obama’s deputy chief of staff, Messina was integral to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the landmark repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” 

Prior to joining the Obama campaign, Messina spent more than 20 years as chief of staff for various Senate and House offices where he worked to pass key legislation such as multiple tax cut bills, the Medicare prescription drug bill and several trade agreements.

In 2013, he launched The Messina Group to provide strategic consulting to businesses around the world while continuing to advise Democratic organizations on domestic political issues. Messina and his team have advised more than a dozen presidents and prime ministers across five continents, including the UK’s Theresa May and David Cameron, Mexico’s Enrique Peña Nieto, Argentina’s Mauricio Macri, Italy’s Matteo Renzi and Spain’s President Mariano Rajoy. 

As CEO of The Messina Group, he provides insight on news outlets including MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, Bloomberg, BBC and others. Messina serves on the boards of Global Counsel, Blockchain.com, Fortera, Vectra.ai, LanzaTech, the United States Soccer Foundation, The Wilderness Society and the Montana Land Reliance.

In addition to the keynote, Annual Meeting includes updates on NTEA resources and initiatives. New for 2026, the event begins 30 minutes later, kicking off at 8 a.m. Tickets for NTEA Annual Meeting, sponsored by Ford Pro, are now on sale.