Democrats gather at annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner

Published June 27th, 2008

FROM STAFF REPORTS

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz will be keynote speakers at the Palm Beach County Democratic Party's 2008 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner Saturday evening at 7 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach.

A recent candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, Richardson currently is in his second term as governor of New Mexico. He has served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. Secretary of Energy, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association and was a 15-year U.S. representative from New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District.

He also has served as a special envoy on many sensitive international missions and is a five-time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Elected to Congress in 2004, Wasserman Schultz represents Florida’s 20th Congressional District.  She serves on the House Appropriations Committee, is a chief deputy House Majority Whip and holds two leadership roles at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Wasserman Schultz is a former student Senate president at the University of Florida and was first elected to the Florida Legislature at age 26.  

Also featured during the evening will be two of Palm Beach County's own congressional delegation:  Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL-23), currently serving his eighth term as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and U.S. Rep. Ron Klein (FL-22) who won the congressional seat previously held by Republican Clay Shaw in the November 2006 election.