Mary Joe Matalin (born August 19, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American Republican political consultant, conservative strategist and media commentator of Polish and Italian descent. She began her career in Republican politics working in the Office of Personnel Management under President Ronald Reagan and later served as campaign director for President George H. W. Bush’s 1992 re-election campaign. From 2001 to 2003 she was assistant to President George W. Bush and counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney, also serving as a member of the White House Iraq Group (WHIG).

Matalin co-founded Threshold Editions, a conservative imprint of Simon & Schuster, and has served as its chief editor since March 2005. She gained prominence as a political pundit and media personality, notably co-hosting CNN’s Crossfire with her husband, Democratic consultant James Carville; the couple married in 1993 despite their political differences. Matalin has authored books, including All’s Fair: Love, War and Running for President (1994, with Carville), and has worked as a television producer, teacher and actor. She has appeared as herself in the documentary Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story (2008) and the HBO series K Street (2003). Known for her outspoken conservative views, she has been involved in various media ventures highlighting partisan debates.