Rick Reed, a Republican media strategist most known for creating the 2004 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads attacking then-Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry’s military record, has died unexpectedly at the age of 69, The Hill reported on Wednesday.
The series of ads, released during the 2004 presidential campaign, accused Kerry, then a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, of not deserving his combat medals in the Vietnam War, as well as betraying his fellow soldiers.
The ads were considered to be a key part in bringing about Kerry's defeat in the election.
Reed also created ads for many other Republican candidates during his career, and for years served as a partner at Republican media firm Stevens, Reed, Curcio & Potholm (SRCP). He also worked for the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in 2000, as well as former President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign.
Reed's biography page states that before joining SRCP, Reed "was the political editor of the White House Bulletin and also served as a Vice President of Market Opinion Research. [Reed] was a Deputy Director at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, where he oversaw the committee’s political activities in 12 states and set up an innovative survey tracking system used in 18 states."
Loved ones wrote in his obituary that Reed died suddenly on Aug. 17 at his home in Alexandria, Virginia.
"Known for his sharp wit and light-hearted sense of humor, Rick was a voracious reader and all-round 'content absorber' — from hard-hitting newspaper stories to cable news, to the latest Netflix romcom, to Instagram," according to the obituary. He also greatly valued time with his family and friends.
Reed, who was born in Wakefield, Massachusetts, is survived by his wife, Gayla Reed and three children.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.