A FERMANAGH woman could become the next chief of staff for the president of the United States of America.
Following President Joe Biden’s not-so-shocking weekend announcement that he would not be standing for re-election in November’s US elections, momentum has been building behind Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place on the ballot for the Democratic Party.
With it looking likely Vice President Harris will indeed be taking up that mantle, the ‘Herald can confirm her last-minute campaign will be in good hands, with a daughter of the Erne County right by her side as chief of staff.
Sheila Nix may have been born and raised in Chicago, but she is a ‘first generation’ Fermanagh woman.
Her mother Tess Feely was from Glen West in Garrison, the older sister of local Sinn Fein councillors John and Anthony Feely’s father Tony. Tess moved to the States when she was in her early twenties, where she married Limerick man Jim Nix.
Speaking to the Herald this week, Cllr Anthony Feely said Ms Nix had been texting on Monday evening and had confirmed to him Vice President Harris would be seeking the nomination, despite this not being officially confirmed at the time.
Cllr Feely said there was plenty of excitement in his house about potentially having a cousin in one of the biggest roles in the White House.
Ms Nix last visited Fermanagh just before Covid, and Cllr Feely said if Vice President Harris is elected in November, the next time she visits the county he hopes she will have a presidential guest alongside her.
“It’s great to see a daughter of Fermanagh doing so well on the international political stage,” he said.
Ms Nix’s CV is already remarkably impressive.
The political strategist and attorney previously served as chief of staff to Dr Jill Biden during Joe Biden’s term as Vice President under President Barack Obama. She also acted as senior advisor to President Biden during his 2020 campaign, and as a deputy assistant to President Obama.
Directly prior to being appointed Vice President Harris’ chief of staff in August 2023, Ms Nix had been serving as chief of staff at the US Department of Education.
The New York Times speculated Ms Nix’s appointment by Vice President Harris last summer had possibly been strategic.
“The vice president has ramped up her own campaign team in the past year – although they maintained it was just to support her as Mr. Biden’s No. 2,” the paper wrote on Sunday, pointing to Ms Nix’s appointment and that of adviser Brian Fallon, who previously worked with Hilary Clinton.
US news website Axios drew a similar conclusion when Ms Nix’s new role was first announced.
The well-known outlet stated Ms Nix was trusted by both the Biden and Harris teams, and would play “a major role” in “sharpening” the message of the Harris campaign.
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