Two Claremont McKenna College alumni seeking state offices in the November 2006 general election each have won their races. Tyler Olson '98 (D-Cedar Rapids, Iowa), an alumnus of the CMC Washington Program, has won a seat in the Iowa House, while Missouri native Jake Zimmerman '96 (D-83rd District), running unopposed on the Nov. 7 ballot, will begin serving in the Missouri Legislature in January 2007.
During his time at CMC, Olson majored in government and history, was a member of the varsity water polo and swim teams, participated in The Washington Program, and graduated cum laude before entering the University of Iowa College of Law. He currently is an attorney at Bradley & Riley, PC, a law firm with offices in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, where he has a general practice including but not limited to business and corporate and real estate law.
Zimmerman, a recent featured speaker at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum, majored in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and government while at CMC, and served as ASCMC vice president. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School.
Zimmerman's bid for a seat in the Missouri House of Representatives was paved with several awards for leadership and dedication to public service, including the Harry S. Truman scholarship. After assorted political internships, including one in Bill Clinton's White House, Zimmerman worked as a campaign field office director, an attorney in private practice, assistant Missouri attorney general, deputy chief counsel to the governor of Missouri.
He currently lives in Olivette, Mo., and practices law with Thompson Coburn LLP in downtown St. Louis.
John J. Pitney Jr., the Roy P. Crocker Professor of American Politics, served as thesis advisor to both students during their time at CMC. "Ty Olson and Jake Zimmerman were leaders in the making," he says. "As alumni, they are terrific role models. They exemplify what our students can do and how far they can go. They are men of intelligence, integrity, and a profound commitment to public service."