Alumni Run for Congress


February 26, 2012

David Schapira and Chris Edwards

David Schapira (left), B.A. '01, is running to represent an Arizona district; Chris Edwards, M.P.A. '96, is vying for a seat in a Nevada district.

A handful of George Washington University alumni have thrown their hats into the ring this year for seats in Congress. And many of their campaigns are in full swing, with primaries ranging from late March to September.

Among those running are Chris Edwards, M.P.A. ’96, a former naval officer vying for the Republican nomination to represent Nevada’s 1st Congressional District, and David Schapira, B.A. ’01, the Democratic leader in the Arizona State Senate running to represent the newly created 9th District in that state.

For Mr. Edwards, the decision to run came from realizing there are “mounting problems with the country” and a “lack of solutions coming from Washington.”

Mr. Edwards said he’s primarily concerned with jobs and housing. Citing a 13 percent unemployment rate in his state, Mr. Edwards called the jobs situation “horrendous.” His immediate actions would include working to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline to create what he estimates is 20,000 jobs, fixing business taxes as low as possible, and repealing the Obama administration’s health care law because it will “devastate” small businesses that can’t afford its provisions.

On housing, Nevada is faring much worse than the rest of the country, Mr. Edwards said—homes are dropping in value and many homeowners are underwater, meaning their home is worth less than the mortgage they have left on it. Among other solutions, Mr. Edwards would like to institute a no-cost refinancing process.

“Nevada needs more elected officials representing them better in Congress so that solutions will emerge,” Mr. Edwards said.

And Mr. Edwards said he’s the right person to find realistic solutions to the nation’s problems. He has a background in public policy. And his experience overseas—including in the Middle East and Africa—has given him a global perspective and better appreciation and understanding of America and the rest of the world, he said.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the political spectrum is Mr. Schapira, an Arizona state senator who’s a former public school teacher and current faculty member at Arizona State University. Education and jobs, he said, are at the forefront of his priorities.

The two are inextricably linked, he said. By making sure every student has access to a quality education—primary and secondary—the country can better compete internationally. With the current generation on track to be less educated than the previous generation, “that’s not a good record to set,” said Mr. Schapira. He’d like to see more teachers hired, along with the development of current teachers and a modern curriculum. It would increase efficiency while decreasing taxpayer cost, his website states.

On the jobs front, Mr. Schapira wants to work to implement sound economic policies that “create sustainable, high-wage jobs for our future,” according to his website.

Mr. Schapira—a third-generation Arizonan who lives in Tempe, part of the district he hopes to represent—said the Democratic Party is often branded as the party of “handouts” and “giveaways.” He sees it differently. “We’re the party of opportunity,” he said, like opportunity for a good education, to start your own business.

Both Mr. Edwards and Mr. Schapira said GW played an important role in shaping their futures.

Mr. Edwards specifically recalled a class in methodology and statistics with Kathryn Newcomer, professor of public policy and public administration, and said it’s helped him interpret and analyze political polls. He also said GW reaffirmed his belief that public servants can play a significant role in solving the nation’s problems.

“Public service is supposed to be service to the public,” he said. “If government officials focused on that, their successes would be many and their accomplishments would be great.”

Mr. Schapira said his experiences with professors while at GW, along with an internship with then-U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., were crucial.

“One of the great things about GW is not just the proximity to the heart of politics in the country but also the connections that being a student at the university help you to make in Washington,” he said.

Leading up to their primaries in June and August, both candidates said they’ll be on the ground meeting as many voters as possible and getting out their messages to the media.

Other GW alumni in political races across the country include: Tammy Duckworth, M.A. ’92, Robert Garagiola, J.D. ’01, Roger Goodman, J.D. ’86, Marc Scaringi, B.A. ’93, Brianne Murphy, B.A. ’92, and Esther Kia‘āina, J.D.