WASHINGTON -- Karl Rove, the cerebral strategist who was instrumental in propelling George W. Bush from Texas to the White House, announced yesterday that he is resigning from the administration position that has made him a magnet for Democratic opponents.
A close adviser who has had Bush's ear for nearly three decades, Rove is more responsible than anyone outside the president's family for Bush's two victories as Texas governor and back-to-back wins in presidential elections, longtime observers say.
Rove is known for mining voter trends and targeting demographic groups, such as religious conservatives and Latinos, displaying a knowledge of policy and history that made him the most influential White House adviser in a generation.
But to detractors, he practiced a divisive brand of electioneering that contributed to the corrosive atmosphere in Washington.
"There would not have been the phenomenon of George Bush had it not been for Karl Rove. It's that simple," said Bill Israel, who taught a University of Texas class on politics and the press with Rove a decade ago and is author of a forthcoming book on the consultant, Stealing Reality.
Rove's record has not been unblemished. He has not, for example, achieved his lofty goal of extending Bush's success to the GOP as a whole, establishing a long-term governing majority.
Presidential candidates running for the Republican nomination next year are distancing themselves from Bush, with none positioning himself as Bush's heir. Democrats gained control of Congress last year, a repudiation of Rove's roadmap.
Inside the White House, Rove, a deputy chief of staff and senior adviser, became Bush's most trusted aide, second only to Vice President Dick Cheney in influence. He played a hand in everything from Bush's push for tax cuts during his first term to this year's ill-fated immigration reform battle. His departure at the end of the month is expected to leave a hole that no one person can fill.
"It's not like there is another Karl Rove out there to step in," said White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto. "His strategic advice has been invaluable. He has incredible depth of knowledge of policy."
Joshua B. Bolten took on some of Rove's responsibilities when he became Bush's chief of staff last year, and White House counselor Ed Gillespie, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, can reach out to conservative groups that form Bush's base.
