David McMahan

David McMahan headshot

David McMahan

David McMahan grew up in politics. He moved with his family to Washington D.C. as a child, when his father took a position on the Appalachian Regional Commission before serving as a member of United States Senator Howard Baker’s staff. His father later served as a member of the Majority Leader’s staff. As a young man, David worked on Capitol Hill as a U.S. Senate page and as an intern in Senator Baker’s office. There, David developed an understanding and appreciation for how government works.

McMahan has turned his early interest in politics into an illustrious career in Government Relations while building McMahan Winstead & Richardson into the top ranked firm in Tennessee, growing from a small regional firm in the 1990’s into the statewide powerhouse it is today.

McMahan is experienced in every facet of Government Relations. He has lobbied every state agency and department on a variety of issues and has gained a reputation as a timeless negotiator and cunning strategist. McMahan has been successful while representing unpopular positions, in times where the odds were against controversial issues.

McMahan has a reputation of being tough, hardworking, fair, and honest. His deep knowledge of government workings and contagious personality has led every major newspaper and news publication in Tennessee to call him the “top lobbyist on Capitol Hill” at one time or another. In fact, he is the only lobbyist consistently ranked by Business TN Magazine as one of the top 100 most powerful people in the State.

When the legislature is out of session, he pivots his focus to fundraising and campaigns where he is involved in nearly every major political contest in the State. Over the years, he has developed many resources from which to draw when the need arises. He understands the importance of being involved in the political process and has ensured that McMahan Winstead & Richardson has the necessary resources to accomplish political goals both large and small.

Why McMahan Winstead & Richardson?

Over 3,500 bills are filed during each General Assembly. Without sufficient staff and resources, there is no way that every legislator can be an expert on every issue.

We are a valuable resource to legislators. Let us become a valuable resource for you – no one works harder or smarter, and we’ll give you 110%, 100% of the time.