Carl Forti: The New Karl Rove

While Democrats continue to pile on in their criticism of ace Republican strategist Karl Rove, he already is grooming a successor. That’s Carl Forti, who is “one of the smartest people in politics you’ve never heard of,” Rove said on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, The Hill reports.

Forti has spearheaded the ad campaigns of four of the most important conservative groups helping to finance the Republican election onslaught this year. First there are American Crossroads and its affiliate Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, founded by Rove and fellow crack Republican strategist Ed Gillespie.

The two others are the 60 Plus Association and Americans for Job Security. Together the four have spent $33 million on TV ads for Republicans.

“Carl is a strategic political warrior. He knows issues, he knows polling and he knows how to implement complicated strategies,” says Bradley Blakeman, a veteran GOP operative. He calls Forti “the Alexander the Great of the Republican independent expenditure world.”