Dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy and Executive Director of the Davenport Institute Pete Peterson told the unlikely story of why he ran for California Secretary of State in 2014.
Peterson moved to California with his family and enrolled in Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy at age 39 after volunteering to help the Republican candidate for Jersey City mayor with his campaign. After graduating, Peterson decided to run for California Secretary of State because he understood the position and was a rare Republican candidate. He spoke to Rotary Club members about the ironies of his campaign, the people he met and places he visited and his calling for politics.
Along with his current jobs, Peterson is currently a leading national speaker and writer on issues related to civic participation.