Wheeler Wins The Sprint, But Will He Capture The FCC Marathon?

The race for the FCC’s “corner office” continues, and it seems Tom Wheeler is gaining momentum as the candidate of choice when it comes to the White House and to Democrats in general. In an April 9 letter to President Obama, several former Administration officials and prominent industry watchdog Media Access Project backed Wheeler. This, according to Medley Global Advisors senior policy director Jeffrey S. Silva, “effectively serves to remove from contention an outside FCC chairman candidate who likely would have attracted significant political (mostly Republican) and industry opposition.” Silva also notes “Obama appears eager to reward an early supporter and major fundraiser whose strong skillset awkwardly doubles as somewhat of a political liability. But loyalty counts with Obama, and the job remains Wheeler’s to lose.”