Do you know any politicians?

[The Arizonan]

The thread title might seem straightforward, but it needs a little explanation. Do you actually know any politicians on a personal level? And by that I mean would they recognize you if they saw you? You don't have to be close friends with them, but be at least acquaintances.

Also, politicians don't have to be current officeholders, but can at least be perennial candidates.

[The Arizonan]

Personally, I know only local politicians in Washington state and Virginia since I've been stationed in Bremerton, WA and I'm now stationed in Portsmouth, VA. In Washington state, I got to know Patty Lent, the Mayor of Bremerton, and Kelly Emerson, a county commissioner of Island County, Washington. In Virginia, I kind of know Kenny Wright, the Mayor of Portsmouth, and probably one of the city council members of Portsmouth.

My father knows Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (or so he claims) and he met the late former senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota when he was in college. He also claims to know the husband of former Arizona state senator Barbara Leff (who ran for state treasurer).

It's interesting to note that I know Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent who knows Congressman Derek Kilmer who knows former congressman Norm Dicks who worked for former senator Warren Magnusson. I've never met Norm Dicks, but I saw him when he accompanied Leon Panetta when he came to talk to sailors on the USS John C. Stennis back in 2012 before the deployment.

And how did Norm Dicks keep getting reelected in a seemingly Republican area?

[The Arizonan]

My Dad and Paul Wellstone were best friends. I apparently met him, but I was too young to remember.

Your father and Paul Wellstone were best friends? Paul Wellstone was a college professor (I think) and my father was a college student when they met.

[The Arizonan]

muon2, I think my father was a student at St. Olaf University, though I could be wrong.

I live pretty close to Jim McDermott and have run into him a couple of times. Same with Ron Reagan, although he's not technically a politician. If you allow for two degrees of separation, I know someone who knows Dick Cheney, and someone else who knew Charles de Gaulle.

And how did Norm Dicks keep getting reelected in a seemingly Republican area?

A couple of things helped him. His district included a sliver of Tacoma that, despite being small, was very densely populated and pretty liberal. Dukakis actually carried WA-6 despite losing Kitsap and Clallam counties, and not hitting 50% in Pierce county, so it's more liberal than it looks. It also helps that Dicks basically spent his entire life in WA-6, and was very good at retail politics. Once he won reelection in 1978 and 1980, the voters basically never looked back.

If Norm Dicks was so good at getting reelected, then why did he retire after 2012? Did he see the writing on the wall or something?

As for his successor Derek Kilmer, I've heard people say that he was evasive even when he was a state legislator in Olympia. When I was stationed on the Stennis, I went to one of his town hall meetings and asked him a question. He never really answered it.

[The Arizonan]

muon2, I think my father was a student at St. Olaf University, though I could be wrong.

Any idea when he graduated?

My father was born in 1953, so I'd say that he graduated in the 1970s, probably around 1975. He also told me that he met Bob Packwood when he lived in Oregon.

Mentioning Paul Wellstone reminded me of a question that is kind of off the wall: did Minnesota ever have a Jewish congressman?

[The Arizonan]

muon2, I think my father was a student at St. Olaf University, though I could be wrong.

Any idea when he graduated?

My father was born in 1953, so I'd say that he graduated in the 1970s, probably around 1975. He also told me that he met Bob Packwood when he lived in Oregon.

Mentioning Paul Wellstone reminded me of a question that is kind of off the wall: did Minnesota ever have a Jewish congressman?

Paul Wellstone

Paul Wellstone was never in the United States House of Representatives. He was a senator though.

[The Arizonan]

muon2, I think my father was a student at St. Olaf University, though I could be wrong.

Any idea when he graduated?

My father was born in 1953, so I'd say that he graduated in the 1970s, probably around 1975. He also told me that he met Bob Packwood when he lived in Oregon.

Mentioning Paul Wellstone reminded me of a question that is kind of off the wall: did Minnesota ever have a Jewish congressman?

Paul Wellstone

Paul Wellstone was never in the United States House of Representatives. He was a senator though.

"Congressman"

It is my understanding that the word "congressman" means a member of the United States House of Representatives.