New head for Senate Conservatives Fund

Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) is joining the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF) as its new president.

{mosads}The Tea Party-aligned former lawmaker gives the SCF a big-name leader. It hasn’t been led by a big name since former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who created the group, left for the Heritage Foundation.

“I’m honored to serve as the next president of the Senate Conservatives Fund,” Cuccinelli said in a statement released by the group. “I’ve always had tremendous respect for this organization and applaud its members for working to elect principled conservatives. SCF has given our nation’s grassroots a powerful voice and I’m excited to join them in the fight.”

Cuccinelli lost a 2013 gubernatorial run to Democrat Terry McAuliffe, a loss largely attributed to his hard-line conservative positions. But he remains popular with some on the right.

Senate Conservatives Fund Executive Director Matt Hoskins will stay on to run the group’s daily operations.

The organization has had a mixed track record this year. They helped Mississippi state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R) force a primary runoff against Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) in a race Cochran might soon lose but backed a long-shot challenger who lost badly to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).