Topic: Joe Allbaugh

Joe M. Allbaugh (born July 27, 1952) is an American political figure in the Republican Party. After spending most of his career in Oklahoma and Texas, Allbaugh came to national prominence working for Texas governor George W. Bush and helping manage his 2000 presidential election campaign. Allbaugh then became a member of Bush's cabinet as Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) beginning in February 2001. He served until FEMA's transfer into the newly created Department of Homeland Security, after which he resigned in March 2003.

Allbaugh began working on political campaigns at the age of 12 as a volunteer for Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign. He went on to earn a degree in political science from Oklahoma State University where he became a member of Beta Theta Pi (ΒΘΠ) Fraternity. His first paid political job was working for Oklahoma Senator Henry Bellmon in 1974. After working on the field staff of the Reagan-Bush campaign in 1984, Allbaugh returned to Oklahoma to help Bellmon win a race for governor in 1986. He later served as a deputy secretary of transportation under Bellmon's successor, David Walters.

In 1994, Allbaugh was brought to Texas by George W. Bush to manage his campaign for governor. After Bush's victory, Allbaugh worked as gubernatorial chief of staff, serving until 1999 when he shifted posts to become campaign manager in Bush's run for the presidency. In this capacity Allbaugh was a key member of a tight circle of aides, together with Karl Rove and Karen Hughes, that the media dubbed the "Iron Triangle". Allbaugh called the trio "the brain, the brawn and the bite", with himself as the brawn at 6 feet 4 inches and 275 pounds.