B12 Features
The Chronicle
May 28, 2014
Election season
GRAPHIC BY ZOE DUTTON
Some parents and alums throw their hats in the ring for the June 3 primaries, while students volunteer in campaigns.
By Morganne Ramsey
“I also think a component of why he’s okay with running now When Amelia Miller ’15 got is that I’ll be leaving soon,” Millhome one day last week, she found er said. “It’s not like I’m 10 and a group of people admiring tempo- he’ll be living across the country. I rary tattoos that said “Matt Miller won’t be home anyways.” for Congress, Endorsed by the Los Miller said that the election Angeles Times.” has not had an effect on her dayMiller’s father, Matt, is running to-day life, but that she does help his campaign to represent Cali- out with it. fornia’s 33rd Congressional Dis“I don’t have an official job, but trict out of their I go to fundraisers house. There are and pass out fly17 other candiers,” Miller said. When you hear dates vying to Marianne Vercandidates that are win the votes rone ’15 also has a good and smart talking parent running for in the district, which consists of office — her father, about what they want the westside of Patric, is running to do, it hammers home for a seat in the Los Angeles and many beach citCalifornia State how politics can be the ies. Senate. Verrone biggest and best tool for however, is not inMiller said creating change on a that the deciterested in politics sion to run was and has not been large scale quickly.” a family decision, involved at all in and together —Amelia Miller ’15 her father’s camthey decided that paign. it was something “He made sure feasible for their family. In fact, we didn’t have to be involved in all Miller’s father was going to run of that, which was very considerfor office before Miller was born, ate,” Verrone said. “I’m more supbut her mother said that he could portive than interested.” either marry her or run for ConMiller is a debater, and has algress. Miller said that her father, ways had some interest in politics who is a host of a political radio because of it, but she said that the show and worked in the Clinton campaign made her even more inadministration, had been planning terested in it. to run for Congressman Henry “When you hear candidates Waxman’s seat for a while, but did that are good and smart talking not expect Waxman to retire for about what they want to do, it another five or six years. hammers home how politics can “It was kind of shocking when be the biggest and best tool for [Waxman] announced he was re- creating change on a large scale signing, especially because it only quickly,” Miller said. “There is no left a three-month period for cam- substitute.” paigning,” Miller said, “which is Many of the strategic decisions kind of absurd.” Miller heard revolved around how Miller said that if her father to spend money for the campaign. wins, it is likely that he will move She said that the campaign has to Washington D.C., but Miller had to raise about $1 million in and her mother will stay in Los the span of three months. Angeles until Miller graduates. Another candidate in the dis-
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trict, Mark Matthew Herd is not have not deemed him as a major taking any donations. candidate. “We’re trying to get money out “[The way the media ignores of politics,” Herd said. “There are some candidates is] bad for society about five candidates that have and bad for democracy,” Kremer raised probably over a million said. “It’s also just not journalistic.” each, and once you get to that level Kremer said that he had alyou’re not winning a race based on ways been interested in politics, ideas, you’re winning a race based and when he was a child, wanted on money.” to be president until he learned Although Herd did not gradu- that he couldn’t because he was ate from the Harvard School for born in Israel. Boys, he attended for two years, Like Kremer, Samantha Garand said that although he was field ’14 has always been interested not interested in politics in high in politics, but she’s found a way to school, the rigor of his education get involved while still at Harvardat Harvard helped prepare him for Westlake. She is president of the a career in politics. school chapter of Junior State of When Herd previously ran for America and is mayor of the Los a city council seat, his campaign Angeles region of the organization. was managed by Yuval Kremer ’89, Garfield works about 12 hours who is now running for Los Ange- each week as an intern for anles County Supervisor. other congressional candidate in Kremer is known as “bus guy the campaign for the 33rd district, and animal guy,” because the two Wendy Greuel. most important issues to him are Garfield said that this is the animal shelters and the bus sys- first time that she has worked on tem. a campaign, and that she began Kremer, who is the owner working after other of an 8-year-old cat named members of the camSunshine, wants the county paign reached out to to subsidize animal adopJSA. tions and spay and neuters “I was waiting for a in order to stop the killing of candidate that spoke to animals in shelters. me and had all the same If elected, Kremer also views that I had, and I hopes to increase bus service realized that I wasn’t hours. Kremer does not own really going to find that a car and relies on the bus. unless I ran for office,” nathanson’s When attending his 25th Garfield said. Samantha Harvard class reunion reWhile Garfield will Garfield ’14 cently, Kremer could not get be too young to vote in back home because the last the June primaries, she bus left at 6:30 p.m., and the event said that she will vote for Greuel in did not end until after that. the November elections if Greuel Kremer is running an “untra- advances past the primary. ditional” campaign, which consists “I think it’s going to be really mainly of automated calls and web empowering that I have such a ads, and said that he has not been close connection to the candidate able to get any attention from ma- and feel like all of my hard work jor media. He has not been invited is going to go for something,” Garto any of the debates held by the field said, “I can actually influence major media outlets because they something. I count, which is nice.”
The campaign trail These members of the Harvard-Westlake community will be up for election June 3.
Mark Matthew Herd Libertarian for Congress Supports cutting military spending and repealing the Affordable Care Act.
Matt Miller Democrat for Congress Supports reforming campaign finance and the healthcare industry to reduce costs.
Yuval Kremer ’89 Democrat for Supervisor Supports subsidizing animal adoption and increasing bus service hours.
Patric Verrone Democrat for State Senate Supports building more state universities and decreasing tuition. SOURCE: CANDIDATES’ WEBSITES GRAPHIC BY ZOE DUTTON