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10 Up and Coming Politicians Who Could Be Good for Business
These emerging political stars could work well with business owners.
Politicians have a lot on their plate. Not only do they have to represent their constituents, they also have to constantly think about reelection and change their plans thanks to the ever evolving beast that is politics. It’s a heavy workload to take on and there are a number of up and coming stars in the political landscape who can change how some of this business is done.
In the business world, an elected official can be a brand’s best friend. Thy can help pass legislation to help workers out or create new laws that can assist a struggling small business. Business game plans, just like politics, are constantly evolving, and politicians can help along the way. Here are a few up and coming politicians who could be good for businesses:
Alison Lundergan Grimes (Democrat. Secretary of State of Kentucky)
Secretary Grimes has made a name for herself ever since she took office in 2012. Grimes began her career as a business attorney in Lexington, Kentucky and was integral in helping business in the area thrive, according to her official website.
As Secretary of State, Grimes has advocated for business growth, with more than 99,000 businesses opening in Kentucky since 2012. She has also helped streamline the process of business owners getting started thanks to Kentucky’s Business One Stop Portal.
Elise Stefanik (Republican. Representative of New York’s 21st Congressional District)
Working for her family’s plywood company in upstate New York, Rep. Stefanik knows a thing or two about businesses. Elected in 2014, Rep. Stefanik was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at age 30. As a member of a family that worked for a small business, Rep. Stefanik has vowed to fight for their honor. In a letter written to her constituents, she vowed when elected that she would not vote to raise income taxes to her are or businesses.
Seth Moulton (Democrat. Representative of Massachusetts 6th Congressional District)
Before being elected to Congress in 2007, Seth Moulton served in the Marines and translated his military prowess to the political arena. The 37-year-old Democrat was an original cosponsor of H.R. 2150, the Raise the Wage Act. The bill would help raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour by the time 2020 rolls around.
His first bill, the Microloan Modernization Act, was designed to help small businesses and startups have easier access to get loans. In 2014, the microloans helped 3,900 small business and created nearly 16,000 jobs in the process.
Patrick Murphy (Democrat. Representative of Florida’s 18th Congressional District)
In the bright and shiny state of Florida, Rep. Patrick Murphy has laid out his plans to increase the number of jobs in his state and district and promote business growth. According to his official website, Rep. Murphy hopes to achieve these tasks by granting tax incentives for small businesses, working with banks to help expand lending practices to assist with business growth and investing in clean energy initiatives to spearhead cost efficient businesses.
Ben Sasse (Republican. Senator from Nebraska)
Before bursting on to the political scene, Sen. Sasse served as the president of Midland University in 2009. At 37 years of age, Sen. Sasses became one of the youngest college presidents in the country. After he was elected to the Senate, he promised to simplify tax reform by cutting out special-interest loopholes and easing taxed on individuals and businesses to help them thrive.
Mia Love (Republican. Representative of Utah’s 4th Congressional District)
In 2014, The New York Times called Rep. Love a “camera-ready superstar.” Her resume speaks for itself as she served on the Saratoga Springs City Council for six years and then was elected Mayor of Sarasota Springs. She then made the leap to the big times when she was elected to Congress in 2014. Love said her political pedigree has shown that she is well equipped to look out and help with businesses. Love is in favor of lowering taxes for businesses to help stimulate growth.
William D. Burns (Democrat. Alderman Chicago’s 4th Ward)
MSNBC analyst Chuck Todd called Will Burns one of the rising democratic stars in Illinois, saying the Alderman could very well become a congressman in the future. Before coming to Chicago’s fourth ward, Burns was an Illinois state Representative.
Burns has championed many causes during his political career including strengthening minority business development while he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Illinois Senate President.
Grace Meng (Democrat. Representative of New York’s 6th District)
Crain’s New York Business releases an annual 40 Under 40 article. A list of political figures and fancy people readers should be keeping an eye on in the coming year. Rep. Grace Meng graced this list and was called “highly effective” in getting things done as a Representative.
Meng can be an asset for the business world as she is a member of the Small Business Committee. In the past Rep. Meng has voted in favor of legislation to make it easier for small businesses to get government contracts, which would in turn help more federal dollars get to small businesses.
Brian Schatz (Democrat. Senator from Hawaii)
Being from Hawaii, people may assume the politicians from the area are just as chill as the waves rolling up to the beach. But Sen. Brian Schatz doesn’t take this relaxed attitude when trying to help out his constituents. Schatz served as the Lieutenant Governor for two years before he was appointed to the senate position in 2012.
Since being appointed, Sen. Schatz has worked tirelessly to help out local businesses in the Hawaii area. According to his official website, he has worked with a group of senators to cultivate ideas to help provide more opportunities for small businesses and create high-quality middle class jobs in the process.
Tim Scott (Republican. Senator from South Carolina)
Senator Tim Scott has been building a reputable resume over the last few years. Sen Scott had stints in the Charleston, South Carolina County Council, the South Carolina House of Representatives, the United States House of Representatives and then joined the Senate in 2013.
Though he’s still new to the Senate floor, Sen. Scott has already made waves as he got his first piece of legislation passed in September. The Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employee Act helps small business owners provide more affordable insurance premiums for their employees.
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