Biography of Nicolle Wallace

Learn more about conservative political commentator and former host of The View

Wallace at a children's theater benefit Gala
Wendell Teodoro / Contributor / Getty Images

Nicole Wallace is a conservative political commentator and host for MSNBC. She was formerly a host of the popular television program, The View and served as communications chief for George W. Bush during his presidency and re-election campaign. 

Early Life

Wallace was born Nicolle Devenish on February 4, 1972, in Orange County, Calif. Her mother was a teacher and her father was an antique dealer. She grew up in Orinda, Calif., and graduated from Miramonte High School in 1990.

After graduation, Wallace studied communications at the University of California at Berkeley. When she collected her diploma from UCB, she dove into her master’s studies at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

She returned home to California after graduation and got a job as an on-air reporter for a local television station. Wallace quickly shifted gears and fell into politics, first at the California state level and soon as a press secretary for Florida Governor Jeb Bush. That led to work as the Communications Director for the Florida State Technology Office and a pivotal role in the 2000 Florida election recount, which would decide the outcome of the U.S. Presidency – George Bush or Al Gore.

The White House 

It wasn’t long before Wallace found herself working for the new President of the United States. She served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Media Affairs during George Bush’s first term in office.

When it was time for re-election Wallace became the Bush-Cheney Communications Director. After re-election, Wallace was promoted to White House Communications Director. She is best known for creating a more open and communicative rapport with the White House press pool during her time as Communications Director.

Wallace was the senior advisor to the McCain-Palin campaign in 2008 when the conservative ticket went up against the young Democrat from Chicago, Barack Obama. Wallace had her hands full with the Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska and “rogue” vice-presidential candidate.

The ups and downs of that campaign were so mesmerizing, they were captured in a movie titled Game Change. Wallace says the film is fairly accurate – at least enough to make her “squirm.” Actress Sarah Paulson played Wallace in the film.

Bestselling Author and Television Commentator

After time spent in the public sector, Wallace turned her expertise to other pursuits, becoming a regular political commentator on news programs and morning talk shows, including Good Morning America and This Week on ABC.

She also became a bestselling fiction writer. Wallace published the novel Eighteen Acres in 2010. The story follows the exploits of three women who work in the White House: The President of the United States, her chief of staff and a high-powered reporter. The book is named for the 18 acres of land the White House sits upon. Wallace followed up Eighteen Acres with a sequel, It’s Classified. She plans another in the series for 2015.

'The View’ and MSNBC 

In September 2014, Wallace joined the women of the popular television program, The View. Wallace hosted The View for just one season, joining MSNBC as a chief political commentator in 2016. She continues to host on MSNBC and appear as a guest on many other television programs, including Good Morning America and The Today Show. Wallace is married and lives in Connecticut with her husband and their son.