Steve Schmidt provides high-level counsel to political candidates, elected officials, and major corporations and organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, Hollywood studios and professional sports teams. He most recently served as a senior advisor to Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. He is currently a partner at Mercury Public Affairs.

Prior to joining Mercury, Schmidt was campaign manager for the re-election of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. He also served as member of the White House senior staff as deputy assistant to the President and counselor to the Vice President. During his tenure at the White House, Schmidt played a leading role in the confirmations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Schmidt also served as one of the top strategists on President Bush's 2004 re-election and was a member of the senior strategic planning group that directed the campaign. Described as a "damage-control master," he has worked on dozens of campaigns at the national, state and local levels.