John M. Russonello

John Russonello, a progressive pollster and political strategist, devoted father, husband and friend, died at 69 on July 8, 2024 near his summer home in Norfolk, CT. The cause of death was pneumonia; he had valiantly battled Parkinson's Disease for decades. His wife Nancy Belden, who was also his business partner at Belden Russonello Strategists, and his son Giovanni were at his bedside.

Born January 11, 1955 in Montclair, NJ, John edited his college newspaper at Drew University and wrote for local papers before moving to Washington, where he became a speechwriter and press secretary for Rep. Peter Rodino, Sen. Alan Cranston and others. On Cranston's 1984 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, John met and fell in love with Nancy, a pollster; she soon convinced him that they should become a professional duo, too.

At BRS, John's ability to see through the numbers and into people's core beliefs helped dozens of progressive organizations understand how to drive public support for issues — from civil liberties to environmental conservation and labor rights — by focusing on deeply held values.

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, John maintained a widely read blog, Think It Through, at brspoll.com and Daily Kos, dispensing sharp, no-nonsense takes on Washington politics at a time when he feared serious, progressive commentary had become an endangered art form inside the Beltway.

At home, John was as likely to insist on a post-dinner card game as he was to rise abruptly from the table to fetch a reference book. Christmas Eve at the "Beldenello" household always featured a grand feast of the seven fishes. John was an abiding fan of the New York Mets, the Green Bay Packers, Bruce Springsteen, Italy, biography, jazz, his basketball and poker buddies, and his many other friends and family. A memorial service will be held in Washington, DC in early September. Details TBA.