The CEO of Arsenal Media Group, the shop that worked for Kari Lake’s 2022 Arizona gubernatorial run and produced the epic ads for Kimberly Klacik’s 2020 run for a Baltimore House seat, told RedState in an exclusive interview the House Republicans he is watching on the rise to greater prominence on Capitol Hill.

“I think there’s two ways to look at influence,” said Jason Cole, who, with his team, is gearing up for the 2024 elections.

“One is going to be money in both your leadership PAC, so you can go ahead and pass it on to colleagues is direct contributions and your favorites inside of a primary,” Cole said.

“The second is just bulk influence,” the Tampa-based consultant said.

“We have a number of House Republicans at this point in time who have built a social media and media presence, and following that is very rare for a member of a House and is much more national,” he said.

“Those individuals have an outside influence when they would make an endorsement,” he said.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

“I think the one that’s made the most headway probably over the last four years has been Marjorie Taylor Greene,” he said. Greene has represented Georgia’s 14th congressional district since her 2020 election.

“Greene cash-on-hand numbers extraordinarily strong, and she’s in a very safe seat,” Cole said.

MTG has never wavered in her support of President Donald Trump, and at the same time, she has maneuvered herself into a leadership track, the Iowa native said.

“Despite her being kicked outta the Freedom Caucus, she really is able to stand on her own and be a very influential member when it comes to looking at primaries or specific people she would wanna support,” Cole said.

“That’s the person, I would say that’s the person I would say has made the most headway over the last leadership apparatus–headed up by Kevin McCarthy and Tom Emmer,” he said.

MTG was a stalwart during the 15-round battle to elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R.-Calif.) speaker, and Rep. Tom Emmer (R.-Minn.) is now the majority whip after he worked at the NRCC for the 2022 cycle. Emmer’s turn at the National Republican Congressional Committee resulted in the GOP regaining control of the lower chamber it lost in the 2018 midterms.

Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R.-Minn.)

Cole said Emmer is now extraordinarily powerful and another rising center of power.

“He’s gonna be very involved in the inside leadership,” he said.

“He is a very bright political mind,” he said. “I mean, people forget in 2010, he went into a recount for governor of Minnesota–one of the bluest states in the entire country. He is a tremendous politician.”

Rep. Jim Jordan (R.-Ohio)

He said another Capitol Hill lawmaker on the rise is Rep. Jim Jordan (R.-Ohio).

“Jim Jordan has a gigantic platform at this point in time, and his heading the Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government is a powerful, high-profile location,” he said. “He has nationwide support and has a very strong fundraising apparatus as well.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R.-N.Y.)

Cole said he is impressed with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R.-N.Y.), who replaced Liz Cheney as the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, and who leads the Elevate Political Action Committee.

“Stefanik has been supporting first-time female candidates, is in the House leadership, and she is a tremendous supporter of President Trump,” he said.

“She has a very strong fundraising apparatus, a tremendous fundraising team,” he said.

“I know the consultant sitting on the side of EPAC, and some of the staff of EPAC, just a tremendous political team,” Cole said. “If you’re a female running for Congress, you were absolutely seeking her support at this point in time.”

Rep. Ryan Zinke (R.-Mont.)

Just as Stefanik boosts women running for Congress, he said Rep. Ryan Zinke (R.-Mont.) boosts military veteran candidates.

“If you’re coming out of the military and you’re a special operator–you have to connect with  SEAL PAC, headed up by Ryan Zinke, they make direct contributions, has a very strong email list, strong fundraising apparatus.”

“It’s a similar situation to EPAC, if you are a veteran coming outta that special operations community—Zinke has been very effective at supporting members and set of primaries as well,” he said.

2024 House races tied to presidential campaigns

Going into 2024, Cole said the most crucial factor for House races would be the presidential race, regardless of what happens in the individual races.

“I don’t see most House members capable of separating themselves from the presidential nominee and any significant capacity,” he said.

“When you have people that have been around for multiple election cycles and are very well known in their district like you’re gonna have that happen,” he said.

“When you have first-time candidates or people in these swing seats, it’s really, really difficult,” he said.

“If you’re a Dan Crenshaw, you might be able to beat any Republican presidential candidate by 30 points, but if you’re Joe Smith running for the first time inside of a district, you’re not gonna have the brand repetition, the personal constituent services that you put out there, or the consistent name ID to get separation from the party.”