Gig is very interested in politics and has met many Governors, Senators and House Representatives. He had two “relatives” elected to political office in New Jersey. One of whom went on to the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. representing New Jersey.
Gig was elected to a state delegate position in Nevada, and has contemplated additional political aspirations. But he may decide to redirect his efforts to advance his political agenda via ballot questions. He has become keenly aware that with the current state of political infighting, particularly in the U.S. Congress, elections are less likely to settle issues. Nationally, the Supreme Court resolves issues. And on the local level, referendums as well as State Supreme Courts decide matters.
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HISTORIC MOMENT IN U.S. POLITICS
2016 marked the first time in U.S. political history that a woman was nominated by a major political party (Federalist, Democratic Republican, National Republican, Whig, Democrat or Republican) for President of the United States. It was due to that fact, for the first time in American history, some voters across the U.S. may have had an opportunity to vote for a woman representing a major political party (Democrat or Republican) in every election for office on their local ballot. In Gig’s local district in Nevada, a woman represented at least one of the major political parties in each Nevada state House and Senate election, and each U.S. House and Senate election.
On November 8, 2016, Gig cast all of his votes for women and did so unbeknownst to him at the time he voted. Although he knew that each candidate was a woman, he was not focused on their gender, nor was he aware of his historic voting event until a week after he voted. Had he been aware, prior to voting, he would have intentionally voted the same way, but he might have questioned if his decision was prejudicial or should be perceived as reverse discrimination. Gig was proud and honored to have cast his vote for a woman for each office, without the preconceived awareness of his acts.
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On October 17 or 18, 2016 Gig was called by the Democrat party to attend the 3rd and final U.S. Presidential Debate Watch Party on October 19, 2016, with a special appearance and performance by Don Vicente Fernández. Gig also received emails, but he did not attend. Gig later learned that Former President Bill Clinton (D), Hillary Clinton (D) and Nevada State Senator and U.S. Congress Candidate Ruben Kihuen (D) were in attendance.
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On October 17, 2016, Gig was called by Alex from the Las Vegas Democrat Party Headquarters to ask if he would attend the U.S. President Pre-Debate Visibility Event in front of University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) on October 19, 2016. This was a crowd support demonstration scheduled in approximately 2 hour shifts.
Alex told Gig that he would be seen on CNN television. This might have been said to encourage Gig to attend, or perhaps they had a designated area that they wanted Gig to fill. Alex also said that there would be Trump supporters there. Note: When you see supporters and/or demonstrators on television, they may have been scheduled to appear for the cameras.
Gig asked Alex to get back to him the next day about parking, and Gig later learned that streets were going to be blocked off too. The campaign did not call back but did email him. Gig did not attend the event.
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During the 4th quarter of 2015, and in January 2016, Gig was inundated with emails and phone calls from the Hillary Clinton for President campaign to solicit him for donations and personal involvement, such as caucusing and becoming a precinct captain, but Gig declined. However, he did receive an email requesting that he host in his home, staffers and volunteers in the lead up to the February 20, 2016 Nevada Democratic caucus, to which he agreed. Gig elected not to host volunteers or field organizers, but from February 5-7, 2016 Gig did opt to house the Southwest Primary States Regional Director for the Hillary for America Presidential campaign. The Director was one of four regional Directors for the Hillary for President 2016 campaign and also worked on Hillary’s 2008 Presidential campaign. The Director was tasked with managing operations in the West, including Hawaii, and also rallied support for Clinton among voters living abroad.
The above link is to an email correspondence between the Southwest Primary Regional Director for Hillary for President 2016 campaign and Gig Schmidt
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Join Hillary, Amal, and me in Los Angeles
The above email was sent to Gig on behalf of George Clooney about winning the opportunity to meet him, his wife Amal, and Hillary Clinton at George’s home in Los Angeles. Gig thought that the email was a fundraiser where the attendees pay to attend the event. George has hosted fundraisers in his home before and might have been where Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West met and took the trending selfie with Hillary Clinton.
March 21, 2016
You’re officially entered to meet George Clooney!
The above email confirmed Gig’s official entry for a chance to meet Hillary, George, and Amal in California
March 21, 2016
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Donald Trump (R) 2016 US Presidential Candidate
Footnote:
Donald Trump made a campaign appearance in the Cirque Du Soleil Mystere Theater at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on October 8, 2015. Gig attempted to obtain a ticket to the event, but his attempt was made so late that he would have been wait listed. So Gig decided against attending. Coincidentally, later that night of the campaign event, Gig met a very influential person in Las Vegas real estate who is a co-owner of many high end high rise condominium buildings and units. That person said he has spoken directly with Steve Wynn, Donald Trump many times, and routinely does business with Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump. He said, “they’re just people”, and is a little surprised that Donald, whom he has dealt with many times, is now running for President of the United States of America. Gig assumed he was implying that he did not think Donald Trump was Presidential material, or well suited for the office.
Gig’s father’s Indian Reservation in New Jersey was a State recognized tribe but not Federally recognized. Sometime in the 1980’s, to possibly the early 1990’s, Gig’s father partnered with Steve Wynn and met with the Las Vegas luxury hotel and casino magnate at the New Jersey Indian Reservation. Steve Wynn who in 1980 also built the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, New Jersey which was the city’s first ever casino built from scratch, the first locals only casino and the city’s 6th casino after Atlantic City legalized gambling in 1976.
The purpose of Gig’s father partnering with Steve Wynn was to obtain federal recognition for the tribe which would have provided a legal path to acquiring casino gambling on the Reservation’s land. It was reported to Gig by his father that Donald Trump, either actively blocked or would have blocked the tribes Federal recognition attempt after experiencing reduced business in his Atlantic City casinos, attributed in part to Foxwoods Resort Casino http://www.foxwoods.com in Connecticut on the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Reservation. Donald Trump did not want additional gaming competition, especially from within the State of New Jersey which would have been only a one hour and fifteen minute drive from Atlantic City.
This is the first time Gig has ever disclosed this information. It was a closely kept business and family secret for approximately 30 years. He never disclosed it publicly, or even privately with family or friends. With the passing of time and circumstances Gig says he may begin to release additional information and may write a book in the future.
Gig remembers seeing Donald Trump in person at the Trump Castle Hotel and Casino in the 1980’s or possibly early 1990’s, and says that they both probably also attended some of the same boxing events that were held in one of Trump’s Atlantic City, New Jersey hotels. Gig was never a Trump supporter, but also does not begrudge him for his potential positions against Gig’s father’s business goals. Despite Trump, Gig is a fan of the television show The Apprentice, and has also discovered that they share many similar political beliefs, particularly as they relate to domestic job creation, corporate and individual tax restructuring, reduction of the $20 trillion U.S. deficit, overhauling failing public schools, school choice, and some elements of border control and immigration.
Update: Donald J. Trump won his first ever political election, making him the first ever to hold the position of President of The United States of America with no previous political experience, or was not a military General.
He is lauded by many as being a “regular guy”. Intellectually, this translates to, when he speaks he is frequently politically, grammatically and factually incorrect. And many of us know someone like him in our personal lives. He’s the one that, when he is successful at something, he will embellish the success, and continuously remind us of it. And when he fails at something, he will have an excuse and frequently blame others. However, perhaps an individual needs to be a bit delusional, narcissistic, hyperbolic, hypocritical, defensive and sensitive to be a truly successful U.S. President. Add a visceral temperament, and the world may experience many inflammatory statements and tweets. Brace yourself world.
Domestically, is it just a matter of time before the GOP “Never Trump” group from the Presidential primaries, and other Congressional members of his own Republican party turn against him? Good luck to the 115th U.S. Congress.
The proverbial, “elephant in the room” or “800 pound gorilla” (puns intended) just entered the world of politics.
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Nevada State Republican Party Delegate Representative
January 19, 2008 Gig ran for and was elected by his precinct to represent them at the Clark County convention as a Nevada Republican Party County Delegate Representative. And on March 8, 2008, at the Clark County convention, Gig was automatically designated to represent Clark County at the Nevada State Republican Party convention as a State Delegate Representative.
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FILE -In this Nov. 8, 2000 file photo, then-Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Al Gore speaks in Nashville, Tenn., on the current status of the presidential vote recount in Florida. The mere mention of the 2000 election unsettles people in Palm Beach County. The countys poorly designed butterfly ballot confused thousands of voters, arguably costing Democrat Al Gore the state, and thereby the presidency. Gore won the national popular vote by more than a half-million ballots. But George W. Bush became president after the Supreme Court decided, 5-4, to halt further Florida recounts, more than a month after Election Day. Bush carried the state by 537 votes, enough for an Electoral College edge, and the White House. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)
Jon Corzine (D) Former US Senator and Governor from New Jersey
Before changing his party affiliation to Republican in 2006 (which only lasted for 4 years), Gig was a life long registered Democrat and worked extensively on the 2000 Democrat campaign on the national, state and local levels. He was a paid member of the Democrat Party and performed various jobs including going door to door in residential neighborhoods and worked the phones in an effort to get out the vote. His efforts helped former Vice President Al Gore (D) https://www.algore.com/ win the state of New Jersey in his Presidential bid, and a US Senate seat for Jon Corzine (D) from New Jersey who also later went on to become New Jersey’s Governor.
After only four years as a registered Republican, in August 2010 Gig changed his party affiliation from Republican to Nonpartisan, also known as Independent, stating that he never votes based on party lines. He votes for a person or a particular issue and compares the final candidates. Gig is very understanding of all political views and in general describes himself as socially liberal like a Democrat, fiscally conservative like a Republican (except he supports a significant increase in the minimum wage and equal pay for equal work), and he has basic beliefs regarding foreign affairs and the military similar to a Libertarian.
There is a satirical expression, “If you are under 30 years of age and not a Democrat, there is something wrong with your heart. And if you are over 30 years of age and not a Republican, there is something wrong with your brain.” Gig says he does not adhere to party labels, nor does he conform to any major political party platform in it’s entirety. He is more pragmatic than ideological.
Liberty Bell, Philadelphia, Pa, July 4, 2000 weekend