Tara Setmayer is a well-respected lawyer and political commentator, who has been a contributor on America’s top news channels, as well as a political appointee. With her insightful commentary and political analysis, Setmayer has become a prominent voice in the media landscape. Setmayer’s in-depth knowledge of politics and ability to articulate complex issues have earned her recognition and respect from audiences across the political spectrum.
Tara Setmayer has a political career spanning over two decades. She’s not only known for her deep understanding of the inner workings of Washington, D.C. but also for having principled conservatism and willingness to challenge the status quo. She was named a Harvard Institute of Politics Spring 2020 Resident Fellow on January 9, 2020. If you’re an admirer of her works over the years, here are 7 things you probably didn’t know about Tara Setmayer.
Tara Setmayer Is From Paramus, New Jersey
Although Tara Setmayer was born in Queens, New York, on September 9, 1975, she was raised in Paramus, a borough of Bergen County in northern New Jersey. Setmayer spent all of her growing years in the Garden State. She attended a public high school, Paramus High School, and graduated in 1993. However, with a passion for politics and journalism, Setmayer left the state to enroll and graduated from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Tara Setmayer graduated with a degree in Political Science, focusing on public policy and journalism.
Her Grandfather Was A Respected Police Officer
Anyone who knows Tara Setmayer knows she has a special respect and soft spot for those in law enforcement. Besides her husband being a police officer, Setmayer’s grandfather, Emil Setmayer, served 40 years with the Paramus Police Department. This shows that her paternal family has been a longtime resident of the city. Her grandfather served the city until his retirement. He retired as a captain. However, he continued serving with the Paramus Company 03 Volunteer Fire Department. He was a volunteer for the department for 71 years.
Tara Setmayer Is Of Mixed Heritage
The political commentator was born Tara Olivia Setmayer to American parents with mixed heritage. Setmayer’s father is of Afro-Guatemalan descent. On the other hand, her mother has German and Italian ancestry from her paternal and maternal grandparents. As an American with a mixed heritage, Tara Setmayer Is always proud of her roots and has taken time to travel to visit some of her ancestral countries.
Tara Setmayer’s Early Career
Fresh out of university, Tara Setmayer was looking to change the world as best as she could. Her earliest career credit was serving as a research fellow and communications specialist for the non-profit organization Coalition on Urban Renewal & Education (CURE). The organization focuses on the impact of social policies on America’s inner cities and the poor.
Tara Setmayer Was Formerly A Member Of The Republican Party
This may come as a surprise to many who recently knew Tara Setmayer since she’s often seen antagonizing the Republican presidential candidate for the Republican party. However, Setmayer’s early political leanings and ideology was Republican. Also, in her early career, she was a political trainee for the Republican state and local political training organization GOPAC. The organization focuses on educating, training, and organizing grassroots Republicans who intend to run for public office.
Tara Setmayer worked as Communications Director for Republican Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2006 to 2013. She made several noteworthy contributions as Communications Director, including using her office to ensure Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean were free through a presidential commutation. She also handled federal law enforcement policy issues and immigration issues.
In the wake of the 2016 election and the widening political divide across the American political sphere, the Stand Up Republic organization was created by former independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin and his running mate Mindy Finn. Tara Setmayer was named as a Stand Up Republic board director in 2017. Tara Setmayer left the GOP in November 2020 after serving 27 years in political communications with the Republicans. She hinged her decision on Donald Trump’s refusal to concede the election to Joe Biden. Setmayer has since become an independent voter.
Tara Setmayer’s Work On Television
As a seasoned political commentator, Tara Setmayer has appeared as a panelist or guest on several political talk shows. Setmayer is a former CNN political commentator before becoming a contributor at ABC News. She has also appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America and The View. Setmayer has also appeared on Fox News and HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher as a commentator.
These days, she’s an on-air commentator on MSNBC. In addition to her television political commentary credits, Tara Setmayer has also worked in radio. As a Resident Scholar at the University of Virginia, Center for Politics, Setmayer narrated the Emmy-nominated three-part documentary Dismantling Democracy.
She Got Married In 2013
Tara Setmayer is married to Marcelle Love. The couple married on September 5, 2013, in Castello di Caccamo in Sicily. Setmayer shared on Instagram that she was proposed to on top of the Eiffel Tower on February 2, 2013. Her husband, Marcelle Love, is a law enforcement officer. If you enjoyed reading about lawyer and political commentator Tara Setmayer, read these 9 interesting facts about comedian & actor, Gary Anthony Williams.
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