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Trying to follow the Obama narrative, but not perfectly Trying to follow the Obama narrative — but not perfectly
(12 days later)
Parts of Will Jawando’s biography are deja vu all over again: white Kansan mother, African father, wife named Michelle. When then-Sen. Barack Obama hired him as an aide in 2005 he introduced him as “apparently my long lost brother.” Fifth in a series of profiles of candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District.
But Jawando wants to rewrite one chapter of the Obama story--when he lost a 2000 Congressional primary in Chicago. Jawando is hoping for better in his campaign for Maryland’s 8th District Democratic Congressional nomination. Parts of Will Jawando’s biography are deja vu all over again: white Kansan mother, African father, wife named Michele. When then-Sen. Barack Obama hired Jawando as an aide in 2005, the future president introduced him as “apparently my long-lost brother.”
The Silver Spring attorney, 33, is one of nine candidates chasing the open seat created by Rep. Chris Van Hollen’s decision to run for the Senate. Jawando, is the youngest candidate in the race and the only African-American, two demographic identifiers at the heart of his message. At debates and small living room get-togethers, he contends that Van Hollen’s successor should reflect the diversity that is remaking the 8th District and the country. But Jawando wants to rewrite at least one chapter of the Obama story: that 2000 congressional primary loss in Chicago. He is hoping for better in the April 26 primary for the Democratic nomination in Maryland’s 8th Congressional District.
[“Pharma bro” Shkreli contributed to Congressional hopeful’s campaign] The Silver Spring attorney, 33, is one of nine candidates chasing the open seat created by Rep. Chris Van Hollen’s decision to run for Senate. Jawando is the youngest in the race and the only African American, two demographic identifiers that lie at the heart of his message.
“There are a lot of people who aren’t represented in Congress,” he said. “That’s a factor in how you move these conversations, and you make people see other people differently.” He contends that Van Hollen’s successor should reflect the diversity that is remaking the 8th District and the country.
Jawando also views the seat in the overwhelmingly Democratic 8th as a national platform, much like Van Hollen did. “There are a lot of people who aren’t represented in Congress,” Jawando says. “That’s a factor in how you move these conversations.”
“Half the job is the bully pulpit,” he said. “This is a safe Democratic seat. “Whoever wins must play a big role in helping others win. It’s a lot more than yea or nay on the vote.” [Racial split defines hotly contested Md. Senate contest]
Trim and angular, Jawando evokes memories of a younger version of his old boss, without the gray hair or face careworn from seven bruising years in office. He calls himself “a hope and change guy,” one of the numerous Obama references threaded through his talks. Jawando also views the seat in the overwhelmingly Democratic 8th as a national platform, much like Van Hollen did. “Half the job is the bully pulpit,” he said. “This is a safe Democratic seat. Whoever wins must play a big role in helping others win. It’s a lot more than ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ on the vote.”
“The president framed it perfectly last night,” he told a gathering in a home on River Road in Bethesda after the State of the Union address, where he echoed Obama’s call for tolerance, civil debate and bi-partisanship. Trim and angular, Jawando evokes memories of a younger version of his old boss. He calls himself “a hope and change guy,” one of numerous Obama references threaded through his talks in living rooms and candidate forums.
His issues--higher minimum wage, secure abortion rights, paid sick and family leave, police accountability and campaign finance reform--mirror those of his competitors. One in particular, college affordability, is close to home. Jawando and his wife are carrying more than $160,000 in law school debt, according to his financial disclosure statement. Jawando’s issues — a higher minimum wage, secure abortion rights, paid sick and family leave, police accountability and campaign finance reform — mirror those of the rest of the field. One in particular, college affordability, is close to home. Jawando and his wife are carrying more than $160,000 in law school debt, according to his financial disclosure statement.
While Jawando is the millennial on the ballot, his political DNA retains the imprint of an older Congressional style. He began his career as an intern for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and counts Rep. Elijah Cummings as a formative figure in his political education. Although Jawando is the millennial on the ballot, his political DNA retains the imprint of an older congressional style. He began his career as an intern for then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and counts Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) as an important influence.
At the January living room talk, which drew some former Hill staff colleagues-turned- lobbyists, he spoke up for earmarking--the practice of members sending dollars to their districts, in the form of pet projects. At a January living room talk in Bethesda, he spoke up for earmarking — the now-banned practice of members sending federal dollars to their districts, often in the form of pet projects. Jawando acknowledged the potential for abuse but said the ban removed an important lubricant from the legislative process.
[ Jawando questions Raskin’s commitment to criminal justice reform]
A 2012 Washington Post study found that 33 members of Congress had directed more than $300 million in earmarks since 2008 to projects within two miles of property they owned. Earmarking was banned in 2008--although the prohibition hasn’t been watertight.
Jawando acknowledged the abuses, but said the ban removed an important lubricant from the legislative process, one lawmakers used to attract votes.
“It takes away a big incentive for members to negotiate,” he said.“It takes away a big incentive for members to negotiate,” he said.
Jawando’s hope-and-change theme hit a sour note late last year with $28,000 in campaign contributions he took from “Pharma-bro,” ex-Turing Pharmaceutical CEO Martin Shkreli, and his employees. Among the $354,000 in campaign donations he received last year was $28,000 from employees of Turing Pharmaceutical — including chief executive Martin Shkreli, who, after making his donation, became infamous for jacking up the price of an anti-parasitic drug by more than 4,000 percent. In December, Shkreli was indicted on charges of securities fraud unrelated to the drug price increase.
He said he connected with Shkreli at a New York reception put together by a Wall Street friend last summer. The donations predated reports of Shkreli’s decision to jack up the price of a an anti-parasitic drug by 4,000 percent, making him an embodiment of corporate greed. [‘Pharma bro’ Shkreli contributed to Congressional hopeful’s campaign]
When Shkreli was indicted for securities fraud in December, Jawando returned his $5,400 contribution. The rest of the Turing money he kept, he said, because the employees were not in legal trouble. Jawando said he met Shkreli — also known as “Pharma bro” — at a New York reception hosted by a Wall Street friend last summer. After the indictment, Jawando gave half of the $5,400 Shkreli had given him to charity. The rest he donated to the U.S. Treasury.
Jawando grew up in Silver Spring, raised by a single mother who was a production manager for a publishing company. He said it was 20 years before she learned that she was paid less than men with the same job. Jawando kept the money he had received from other Turing employees, he said, because they were not in legal trouble.
Kathleen Gross was a student at Fort Hays State College in the early 1970s when she met Olayinka Jawando, a Ni­ger­ian who fled civil war and made his way to Kansas on a scholarship. They separated when Jawando was 6 and divorced two years later, but father and son have since reconciled. The elder Jawando, who has late stage prostate cancer, lives with his son’s family. Jawando grew up in Silver Spring. His mother worked 20 years as a production manager for a publishing company before she learned that she made less than men with the same job.
As a Catholic University law student in 2004, he pushed to establish a campus NAACP chapter, which the school initially resisted because of the civil rights organization’s pro-abortion stance. Catholic eventually relented, and Jawando’s crusade led to the internship with Pelosi. Kathleen Gross was a student at Fort Hays State University in the early 1970s when she met Olayinka Jawando, a Ni­ger­ian who fled civil war and came to Kansas on scholarship. They separated when Jawando was 6 and divorced two years later. The elder Jawando, who has late-stage prostate cancer, lives with his son’s family.
Already a fan after reading “Dreams of My Father,” Jawando starting visiting Obama’s Senate office. An aide, struck by the biographical overlap, alerted the new Senator, who eventually hired him. [Five things to know about Jawando]
That led to a White House job in as associate director of public engagement, where he worked on passage of the Lilly Ledbetter pay equity law, and later a post in the Education Department, where he focused on early childhood education and college readiness programs. In 2014, he ran an unsuccessful race for a District 20 seat in the House of Delegates. When Jawando was 12, he lost an older friend to gun violence, a memory that lingers. Without an engaged parent and some luck, he says — again, echoing the president — it could have been him. Instead he won scholarships to high school and college.
Jawando said his background makes him best prepared to serve in Congress a time of “great angst,” racial and economic. As a Catholic University law student in 2004, Jawando pushed to establish a campus NAACP chapter, initially resisted by the school because of the organization’s stance in favor of abortion rights. Jawando’s crusade led to the internship with Pelosi.
“My life is a reflection of that angst,” he said. Already a fan after reading “Dreams From My Father,” Jawando starting visiting Obama’s Senate office. An aide, struck by the biographical overlap, alerted Obama, who eventually hired him. That led to a White House job as associate director of public engagement, where Jawando worked on passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and later a post in the Education Department.
In 2014, Jawando lost a race for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates.
Jawando said his background makes him best prepared to serve in Congress a time of “great angst,” both racial and economic. “My life,” he said, “is a reflection of that angst.”
Next: Ana Sol Gutierrez.
Read other 8th District candidate profiles:
Kathleen Matthews: Former anchor, executive looking for 3rd act
Jamie Raskin: The most liberal congressional candidate in a crowded field
Joel Rubin: Activist wants to take fight to Republicans in Congress
David Trone: Run for office is unfinished childhood business