Lead a Political Life

Jess Schultz

"[Politics] means I never have a normal day and that's something for which I am always grateful."

How do you lead a political life?
I lead a political life in a variety of ways. The most obvious of which is that I work in politics. I worked for a successful gubernatorial candidate and now work on the transition team. But I think politics is larger than that. Its about civic engagement. I vote. I read the newspaper. I argue with friends about politics. Politics can permeate as much or as little of my life as I allow it to. Often for me its a larger rather than smaller part.

When did you start caring about politics?
I've always led a political life. My mother was a nurse turned lobbyist. My father worked for the federal government. I paged for the New Mexico state senate in elementary school. My mother took me to volunteer on political campaigns from the time I could walk. I interned on Capitol Hill when my family moved to Washington DC.  My degree is in government. It was never a conscious decision. Rather it was the natural evolution of how I was raised. My parents always were clear that politics at its best is public service. That's the part of politics that most appeals to me.

What steps did you take to get to where you are?
Part of it was conscious. I studied government in college and began to work for political campaigns when I graduated. But in many ways I got lucky. I met professors and professionals who served as mentors and guided me towards positions at which they believed I could excel. I thing the most important thing I've done is to realize where I am in the big picture. A lot of political work is mundane or unglamorous. The people who do the best are the ones who don't mind making copies or booking travel or doing data entry. They see their contribution as part of a larger plan. Ill lead a meeting with 13 people who work for me and then turn around and get the candidate a cup of coffee. In a world seemingly dominated by egos it’s sometimes best to let yours step aside.

How do you think politics affects your daily life?
Politics is my daily life. Its affects whether I will get my to-do list done or if I have to spend the day reacting to some unforeseen incident. It means I never have a normal day and that's something for which I am always grateful.

Why is it important to lead a political life?
It’s important to lead this life for two reasons. The first one is the easy answer, that it is public service. Politics affects the lives of individuals. Your work to elect someone or enact a piece of legislation gives you the opportunity to make peoples lives better. People you will never meet and who will never know you helped them. That's the end game. But its important for me to lead this life because I love it. I love coming to work each day. I love working towards something I believe in and for someone who will do truly good things. Always do what you love.

What advice do you have for people who want to get involved?
If you want to get involved find a way to do so that you enjoy. If you don't believe in what you're doing you'll get jaded by the egos or other negatives that come with the territory. Be energetic and be humble. Learn everything you can. Have a good sense of history. And always see it as something that is larger than yourself or your candidate or your party.

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I would balance all the budgets and stop all the wars. But maybe I should just settle for equal and quality education and universal healthcare?

Age. 23
University. Claremont McKenna College
Hometown. Santa Fe, New Mexico and Gaithersburg, Maryland
Occupation. Director of outreach. Spitzer for Governor.
First thing I do when I wake up: Sadly, check my blackberry.
Favorite musical artist: Van Morrison...The Rolling Stones...Billie Holiday...Cat Stevens...only one choice?
Role model: My mother
Dream job. White House Chief of Staff

• Katy Bohinc
• Stephanie Chetelat
• Soma Ghoshal
• Jess Schultz
• Sarah Solon