Jay Zeidman

For most young people, meeting a major political candidate in person is a pipe dream. But thanks to Jay Zeidman and his youth-based political action group, MaverickPAC, young people are no longer excluded from political fundraisers just because they are strapped for cash.

“MaverickPAC is sort of the bridge between the Young Republican, College Republicans and that older generation,” said Zeidman, the National Co-Chair. “For approximately 85 percent of our members, this is the first time they’ve ever financially participated in the political process, so you’re teaching what it means to financially invest in this process.”

By designing fundraisers geared towards young professionals, MaverickPAC lowers the cost of entry to these events – often to as low as $25 – making them affordable for young people.

Zeidman, who worked in the George W. Bush administration under Karl Rove, said his goal is to get more young people more involved in the political process, because he feels that they have a lot to add to the Washington D.C. narrative.

“We have so many distractions out there in our world today, and especially young people, we’re just not as engaged as we should be,” Zeidman said, pointing out that only half of the 48 million eligible voters under the age of 30 voted in the last election.

“Fifty two percent of people who just graduated college don’t have a job? That’s a problem,” he said. “As a youth movement, we have to coalesce around each other and get involved.”