Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Deborah Wasserman Schultz (née Wasserman; ; born September 27, 1966) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 25th congressional district, first elected to Congress in 2004. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2011 until her resignation in 2016.

Wasserman Schultz served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate and was a national co-chair of Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign for president. Her district covers much of southern Broward County, including a large part of Fort Lauderdale.

Wasserman Schultz was elected chair of the Democratic National Committee in May 2011, replacing Tim Kaine. On July 28, 2016, she resigned from that position after WikiLeaks released leaked emails showing that she and other members of the DNC staff had expressed bias in preference of Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primaries. The emails showed that some DNC officials had discussed strategies to weaken Sanders’ campaign, questioning his viability, and even suggesting ways to discredit his supporters. She secured a senior surrogate spot on the Clinton campaign afterwards.

Personal life and education

Born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, to a Jewish family, Wasserman Schultz is the daughter of Ann and Larry Wasserman. Her father is a certified public accountant, and her brother, Steven Wasserman, is an assistant United States attorney for the District of Columbia.