Andrea Salinas learned politics — the good and the bad — as a young staffer in the 1990s.
It was hard to find work as a Democrat after Republicans took control of both chambers of Congress in the 1994 midterms, Salinas recalls. It was especially hard without a background in political science or a law degree.
But a staff assistant job with Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada helped get her foot in the door, and soon she landed a legislative role with Rep. Pete Stark of California.
