NewsBusters Publisher Bozell Recognizes Ryan McNicholas, Paul Thurman for Outstanding Work on MRC Field Team

April 27th, 2012 2:00 PM

NewsBusters publisher Brent Bozell recently awarded two members of the Media Research Center (MRC) field team --  Ryan McNicholas and Paul Thurman --  with Apple iPads for their diligent work so far this year.

The MRC field team liaises with Tea Party leaders and conservative Americans around the nation. Ryan and Paul are two outstanding members of our 10-person field team which has traveled the country, bringing MRC signs, buttons, bumper stickers and hand fans to Tea Party rallies and conservative events in more than 35 states thus far. Paul and Ryan have worked especially hard, logging thousands of miles and working nights and weekends. Brent sought to recognize their hard work with a token of his esteem.


Ryan McNicholas [pictured at right] grew up in Ohio as one of a set of quadruplets in a family of nine. After graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he served as Executive Director of the College Republicans, Ryan worked on political campaigns throughout California before returning to the Midwest. He joined the MRC field team in January of 2012.

Paul Thurman [pictured at left] is Field Director for the Media Research Center and a political consultant for Thurm Strategies, a political consulting company he founded in 2011. Prior to that, Paul was a political director for Americans for Limited Government. He also interned and was a contributor for the Daily Caller, an online conservative news website. He is founder of four Tea Party groups throughout Southwest Virginia. 

Thurman was born and raised in Centerville, Ohio. He comes from a line of public servants. His great uncle was mayor of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and his grandfather was elected sheriff and also ran for US House of Representatives. His interest in local government and politics began early through his experience videotaping local city council meetings. He has successfully helped with several local campaigns and has served on the board of the Republican Party and as Co-Chair of the CD-7 Young Republicans of Minnesota.