Trump son-in-law emerges as quiet force

Despite limited political experience and some family baggage, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is playing an active role in virtually every aspect of the New York real estate magnate's presidential bid.

Kushner's growing influence in recent weeks, as described by several people with direct knowledge of his role, has included the selection and vetting of potential running mates, planning for his father-in-law's transition to the White House, the campaign's nascent push to incorporate voter data into its strategy, fundraising, and the development of major policies.

Others described Kushner, while inexperienced, as a mild-mannered and valuable presence with helpful connections in the media world and across the Jewish community.

"Every publisher in New York has a role in influencing the political debate, from the tabloids to the broadsheets to the community weeklies," said Mitchell Moss, a professor of urban planning at New York University and an acquaintance of Kushner.

[...] as Trump's senior aides jockey for internal influence, the level of Kushner's access to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has surprised campaign officials at times.

Leveraging his connections to media executives, Kushner also leaned upon his friendship with media mogul Rupert Murdoch to improve the campaign's strained relationship with the Fox News Channel.

Kushner took over his family's New Jersey-based real estate firm in 2004 around the time his father was sentenced to two years in prison in March 2005 according to the terms of a plea deal negotiated by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a prominent Trump backer who previously served as a federal prosecutor.