Phil Watson -  Staff and Faculty at the Leadership Institute

Phil Watson is a Grassroots Director for The Leadership Institute.

Mr. Watson gained experience at a young age campaigning with his grandfather and went on to serve as a staffer and consultant for several campaigns and issue clients. His experience with political committees covers candidate campaigns to ballot initiatives and independent expenditures.

Although he played several sports growing up, Phil credits Chess with helping to form a more strategic outlook on any business or political endeavor. As a youth Phil played first board on his school team and also won first place in the junior category of the Tacoma Chess Club Championship, an open tournament featuring both adults and juniors. 

Phil became well known for his leadership as a director with several constitutional rights groups. Some of Phil's accomplishments include amendments and bills passed unanimously and signed into law. His commentary regarding current events and politics have also been featured in several major media outlets, as well as live televised debates and town halls. Some of Phil’s works and advertisements gained viral recognition nationally. He is also responsible for helping launch several websites, including syndication of content for BearingArms.

Watson uncovered what is now commonly referred to as “The Gun Control Playbook” in a FOIA request to the City of Seattle and King County. The discovery was credited with shedding light on the communication strategies of several billionaire activists and their dark money political groups. Seattle was forced to pay a settlement and write a letter of apology after the subsequent lawsuit revealed they concealed multiple records pursuant to Watson’s request. Following the settlement, Phil and his colleagues were given the Key Award from the Washington Coalition for Open Government.

Phil is a founding board member of the Soldiers Alliance Foundation, a non-profit that provides services and advocates for just treatment of military personnel and Gold Star families. Phil graduated from the University of Washington and is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve.

Phil Watson