According to the University of San Diego Vista newspaper, alumnus Jonathan Maher is becoming the first Torero to run for a U.S. Senate seat, as he campaigns in New Jersey for the 2012 elections.
Registered as an unaffiliated party member, Maher, whose home state is New Jersey, wants to help ensure that state “receives an appropriate allocation of federal resources,” according to the paper.
Maher said he was inspired to run for Senate because of his desire to help others, and because he believes the Senate has become a body of gridlocked politicians who have “stalled the functioning of America’s government.”
“I don’t doubt that we all seek a better future for America, but the seasoned bureaucrats occupying the chamber can’t agree on what that future looks like or how we get there,” Maher said. “They don’t understand capital market architecture and the science underlying emerging technologies that will allow us to build a more prosperous future, while using economic development as an instrument of peace through interdependence.”
Maher firmly believes he has a chance to win in 2012. Maher, 30, is much younger than the average age for elected senators, which is 58. He does fear that his young age might undercut his life experience when it comes to results in the polls.
Maher is openly gay and a strong supporter of gay rights. He said he believes the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has changed the culture of politics since he first decided to run for Senate, but he also realizes that his stance on gay rights may lose him the support of some New Jersey voters, according to the Vista.
Originally from Ridgewood, N.J., Maher graduated from USD with a bachelor’s in business administration. Maher studied computer programming his freshman and sophomore years but later switched to business administration. It wasn’t until his junior year at USD that Maher decided he wanted a career in politics.
“I’ve had opportunities to work for companies that were more prestigious than others, opportunities that paid better than others and companies that would enhance a resume but were otherwise empty,”
Maher said. “I’ve always chosen the opportunities that would most build my intrinsic capacity.”
The would-be senator is author of two books, one entitled Building a Successful Organization: A Practical and Comprehensive Resource. The other is The Destiny of Humanity. He also created a Web site called Sick Away From Home, which contains a searchable directory of American Embassy listed doctors in 100 countries.
