Andrew James Bates (born January 8, 1987) is an American political staffer who is currently managing crisis communication for Senator Ruben Gallego.
He previously was Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Deputy Press Secretary for the Biden Administration. A member of the Democratic Party, he was director of rapid response for the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign. He also worked in the Obama-Biden Administration as press secretary for the U.S. Trade Representative (2014–2016) and as a communications aide in the White House (2010–2013).
Early life and education
Bates is a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He graduated from Richard Joshua Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem. He has a bachelor's degree in Political Science from North Carolina State University, where he graduated in 2009 after taking time off to intern for the 2008 Obama campaign.
Career
Obama administration
In December 2013, Bates became press secretary to the U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman.
2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign
Bates was the North Carolina communications director for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.
2020 Joe Biden presidential campaign
At its launch in April 2019, Bates joined the 2020 presidential campaign of former Vice President Joe Biden as Director of Rapid Response.
Biden administration Bates was the White House Press Office's point person for the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court, working under Ben LaBolt.
In October 2022, Bates was promoted to White House Deputy Press Secretary and Senior Communications Adviser for Strategic Response. In May 2024, he became Senior Deputy Press Secretary.
The May 2025 book Original Sin, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, states Bates was the "tip of the spear" in the public-facing defense of President Biden's mental acuity during his administration.Miller, Andrew Mark, and Cameron Cawthorne, "New book exposes how top Biden comms staffer was 'tip of the spear' covering up Biden's cognitive decline", Fox News, 22 May 2025
Ruben Gallego In June 2026, as the House Ethics Committee probed his campaign finance records, Senator Ruben Gallego hired Bates to advise him on crisis communications as he faced blowback for alleged sexual indiscretions and his endorsements of Graham Platner and Eric Swalwell.
Personal life
On September 17, 2022, Bates married Megan Apper.
References
External links