Mike Schmuhl


Michael "Mike" Schmuhl is an American campaign manager affiliated with the Democratic Party. Schmuhl most notably served as campaign manager of Pete Buttigieg's campaign in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

Early life and education

Schmuhl was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana. His father is Robert Schmuhl, an emeritus professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Schmuhl went to high school at St. Joseph High School, where he befriended a young Pete Buttigieg.
He graduated from University of Notre Dame in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in history. His uncle William Schmuhl, has also taught at the university. He later received a master's degree in international affairs from the Paris Institute of Political Studies.

Career

In 2004, Schmuhl was an intern at Meet the Press with Tim Russert at NBC News in Washington, D.C. He then worked at The Washington Post where he was a producer and booker in the newsroom.
He returned to Indiana in 2009 and managed Joe Donnelly's 2010 successful congressional reelection campaign.
Schmuhl reconnected with his high school friend Pete Buttigieg, and managed his 2011 campaign for Mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
In October 2011, after Butch Morgan resigned from his role as Democratic Chairman for Indiana's 2nd congressional district, Schmuhl agreed to run for the position. He was elected by county chairs and vice chairs from the counties in the district in November.
When Buttigieg assumed the office of mayor in January 2012, he named Schmuhl as his chief of staff. Schmuhl stepped down from this position in May 2013. He resigned from the job in order to pursue a master's degree at the Paris Institute of Political Studies in Paris, France.
He returned to the United States in 2015 and began working at the Democratic consulting firm 270 Strategies in Chicago, where he became a vice president.
Schmuhl advised Indiana Congressional candidates Shelli Yoder and Mel Hall in 2016 and 2018, respectively, and he also served as treasurer of Buttigieg's Hybrid PAC, Hitting Home PAC.
Schmuhl was campaign manager for Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign.