“Politics is a blood sport and a rough sport,” admits Jay Wegimont. Though just 26, the Rhode Island native already knows how to navigate the terrain. “To be a good public official, you have to know there will be more than one person who doesn’t agree with you, no matter what you do,” he says. “You have to back up your position with hard facts.”
His job is to help Rep. Engel’s 700,000-plus constituents when they need the federal government’s assistance. “If you’re not getting your benefits, if Veterans Affairs is not getting you your medication, you call your congressman,” Wegimont says. It’s his job to help fix those problems.
Wegimont has worked on the elections of the most prominent Democratic elected officials in Westchester and the Bronx. A member of the Westchester Young Dems, he was finance director for the New York State Young Democrats in 2016. But it’s not all politics and government. He is also a senior volunteer at Hope Community Services and serves on the board of directors to the Iona College Alumni Association. Also pursuing a Master in Public Administration (MPA) degree from the University of Delaware School of Public Policy & Administration, Wegimont’s wide array of hobbies — cooking, longboarding, spearfishing, yoga, and cohosting a weekly podcast called The Pawd — add to his range.
“At end of day, it’s all about helping people,” Wegimont says of his role. “If you take time to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, they will respect you for that.”
