Jason Rae

Jason Rae (born 25 November 1986, Rice Lake, Wisconsin) is a Democratic National Committee (DNC) member from the state of Wisconsin. Rae is the youngest person ever elected to the DNC.

Personal background

Jason Rae was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin (a town of 8400 people), to John and Lori Rae. He is a student at Marquette University currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science. [ [http://chamber.rice-lake.wi.us Rice Lake Chamber of Commerce ] ]

While in high school, Rae was appointed to serve as a United States Senate Page. [http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2004/07/06/0407060153.php madison.com ] ] He was also the high school class president, yearbook editor, basketball player, and was in the school band and a member of the National Honor Society. [ [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0407/26/ltm.05.html CNN.com - Transcripts ] ]

College activism

Rae was the chair of the Marquette University chapter of College Democrats and was elected Chair of the College Democrats of Wisconsin in 2008. [ [http://www.mudemocrats.com/ Marquette University College Democrats ] ] Within Marquette University Student Government (MUSG), he was Legislative Vice President, in which he formed of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Funding of Student Activities. [ [http://www.marquette.edu/musg/legislative.php Marquette University Student Government | Legislative ] ] [ [http://www.marquette.edu/magazine/recent.php?subaction=showfull&id=1208546009&archive= Youngest super-delegate | News | Marquette Magazine ] ] He previously served in the MUSG Senate as Senator, student representative to the Faculty Academic Senate, College of Arts & Sciences Committee chair, and Parliamentarian. [ [http://media.www.marquettetribune.org/media/storage/paper1130/news/2007/04/17/News/First.Musg.Meeting.For.New.Leaders-2844265.shtml First MUSG meeting for new leaders - News ] ] [ [http://media.www.marquettetribune.org/media/storage/paper1130/news/2006/01/19/News/Learning.The.Ropes-2625568.shtml Learning the ropes - News ] ] Rae was the author of a bill passed by the Marquette University Student Government to provide domestic partner benefits to faculty. [cite news | url=http://media.www.marquettetribune.org/media/storage/paper1130/news/2007/04/03/News/Musg-Recommends.Partner.Benefits-2817904.shtml | title=MUSG recommends partner benefits | author=Eric Lombardi | publisher=Marquette (Wisconsin) Tribune | date=2007-04-02 | accessdate=2008-02-13]

At Marquette, Rae received the 2006 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Community Service and in 2007 got the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Governance and Organizational Leadership. [http://www.marquette.edu/osd/leadership/dsa_2007.shtml] [ [http://www.marquette.edu/osd/leadership/dsa_2008.shtml Leadership Awards | Office of Student Development | Marquette University | Office of Student Development | Marquette University ] ] Rae is also on the Board of Directors for the Rice Lake Boys & Girls Club. [ [http://www.ricelakeonline.com/clients/RLBGC/BoardMembers.htm Boys and Girls Clubs of Rice Lake - Youth Service ] ]

Political involvement

In 2004, Rae was vice chair of the Barron County Democratic Party and was appointed to Senator Russ Feingold's re-election steering committee.

Rae was elected to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in June 2004. At the time of his election to his leadership role within the party, he was 17.cite news | url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=241657 | title=He's elected but can't yet vote: Rice Lake boy, 17, going to Boston on Democratic National Committee |author=Graeme Zielinski | publisher=Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel | date=2004-07-05 | accessdate=2008-02-13] The party election garnered much press coverage, as a state legislator and the president of the state's firefighters' union were among the losing candidates for the position.

Rae's election to the DNC was unexpected.cite news | url=http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/speakout/mystory/jason_democrat_delegate.html | title=Young People Who Feel Included Will Vote | publisher=PBS | date=2004-07-26 | accessdate=2008-02-13] From a article:

Rae attended the 2004 Democratic National Convention as a special guest of the Wisconsin delegation. He is a superdelegate for the 2008 convention in Denver. Additionally, Rae is chair of the DNC's Youth Council. In this position, he has been active in increasing youth involvement in politics and working to see that candidates address issues of importance to young people. He has spoken at DNC meetings to members of [http://www.massdems.org/towns/kidsforD/Louisiana.html Kids for Democracy] , as well as other interested groups, such as [http://www.ypress.org/election2004/091904.html Y-Press] .

In spring 2007, Governor Jim Doyle (D-WI) appointed Rae as the youth representative to the [http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=2706 Governor's Commission on the United Nations] . From June 23-30, 2007, Rae participated in a delegation of 10 DNC members to Taiwan, where they met with various elected officials in the Taiwanese government to better understand the present situation with China.

Rae worked on the Allen Thomell campaign for the Georgia State House and the Herb Kohl for United States Senate campaign. He has also interned at People for the American Way. In the summer of 2006 he interned at the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. He came out as gay to members of the DNC in February 2007, which he discussed in an interview in "The Advocate" in February 2008.cite news | url=http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid52256.asp | title=Gay Superdelegate Breaks the Mold | author=Kerry Eleveld | publisher="The Advocate" | date=2008-02-15 | accessdate=2008-02-17]

On 21 February 2008 Rae announced his support of Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. [cite news | url=http://blogs.jsonline.com/allpoliticswatch/archive/2008/02/21/another-super-delegate-to-obama.aspx | title=Another super delegate to Obama | author=Greg J. Borowski | publisher=Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel | date=2008-02-21 | accessdate=2008-02-21]

Rae's ultimate goal in politics is to become President himself [ [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/07/25/from_near_far_the_delegates_descend_on_hub/ From near, far, the delegates descend on Hub - The Boston Globe ] ] .

Media appearances

Rae has appeared as a commentator on CNN, FoxNews, ABC News Radio, and other small network channels. He is often sought after as an expert in youth voting and politics. Before the 2006 midterm elections, Rae contributed to FoxNews' analysis of youth voter trends.

As a super-delegate for the 2008 Democratic convention, Rae has been courted by both campaigns and has appeared on television news shows including MSNBC's "Live with Dan Abrams" and CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360°", on radio, and in news reports about his experiences.cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23128117/ | title=Transcript of February 11, 2008 "Live with Dan Abrams" | publisher=MSNBC | date=2008-02-11 | accessdate=2008-02-13] cite news | url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0802/12/acd.02.html | title=Transcript of February 12, 2008 "Anderson Cooper 360°": Superdelegates | publisher=CNN | date=2008-02-12 | accessdate=2008-02-13] [E.g., on KGO 810 radio, on the Karel program during the 9:00PM PST hour on February 17, 2008.] [cite news | url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4273078&page=1 | title=College Junior Breakfasts With Chelsea Clinton | author=Karen Travers | publisher=ABC News | date=2008-02-11 | accessdate=2008-02-13] He recounted meeting with Michelle Obama, having breakfast with Chelsea Clinton, and receiving calls from Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Madeleine Albright, and others. BBC TV's North America editor briefly interviewed Rae in a report on the 2008 Democratic Party primaries on "10 O'clock News" on 21 April 2008. Jason Jones interviewed Rae on "The Daily Show".

References

External links

* [http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/12/introducing_dnc.php Introducing DNC Member Jason Rae]
* [http://www.wisdems.org Democratic Party of Wisconsin]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7359659.stm Jason Rae in interview with Justin Webb of the BBC]

Persondata
NAME= Rae, Jason
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Democratic National Committee member from the state of Wisconsin
DATE OF BIRTH=November 25 1986
PLACE OF BIRTH=Rice Lake, Wisconsin, USA
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=