Political Rookie Begins at Bottom but Aims High

John Nienstedt has wanted to be in politics for longer than he can remember.

“You’ll probably have to ask my mom,” he says with a grin when asked to reveal at what age he first pondered a life in public affairs.

Now, after years of preparation and and eight semesters studying political science at San Diego State University, Nienstedt, 22, has made it to the real world of politics and government. Finally, he’s on the inside.

Nienstedt works as a receptionist in the offices of County Supervisor Susan Golding.

Answering phones, opening the mail and running to the copy machine may not be the answer to Nienstedt’s dreams. But it’s a foot in the door, and in the competitive world of politics, that’s good enough for him.

“I wasn’t working until now,” Nienstedt, a native San Diegan and graduate of Hoover High School, said in an interview. “This is what I want to do. Not this , but this area. Whatever way I can get in is fine with me.”

In the third floor offices at the County Administration Center, Nienstedt, wearing his pin-striped suit and button-down shirt, stands out among the mostly middle-aged, female, career receptionists. He’s the only male among more than a dozen clerical workers who toil for the five county supervisors. And odds are he’s the only one who believes he might some day be running the place.

Nienstedt isn’t the first person to begin a climb up the political ladder from the county’s bottom rung. John Woodard, who handles health, social services and court issues for Supervisor George Bailey, started as a “go-for” in Roger Hedgecock’s office when the mayor was a supervisor and Woodard was a student at UC San Diego.

But Woodard, now 27, says he would have been reluctant to take a job as a receptionist. “Once people see you in a certain role, you’re going to lose a little credibility,” he said. “I think John will be able to move up, to do it. But it’s going to be harder for him.”

Nienstedt graduated from SDSU in August with a bachelor’s degree in political science and minors in geography and philosophy. With the help of an aide to Sen. Pete Wilson, he soon found an entry-level job with a local political consulting firm then known as the California Group. Mostly, he called potential supporters of Golding and Rep. Bill Lowery and invited them to campaign fund-raisers.

A loyal Republican, Nienstedt also helped organize pre-election rallies for President Reagan at the County Administration Center and at the Fashion Valley Shopping Center. “That was great,” he said, the excitement of the events still clear in his voice.

But that job ended with the election Nov. 6, and Nienstedt was back on the streets. He called the San Diego Padres, the American Automobile Assn. and others, looking for someone who could use his skills. He interviewed with Supervisor Golding, hoping to land a higher level staff job.

Snapped It Up

Told there was an opening for a receptionist, he snapped it up.

“You get used to it,” Nienstedt said between answering phones. “You know that a lot of time, they (employers) won’t even call you back. If they say ‘Well, we’ve got this job,’ you jump on it.”

Nienstedt hopes to one day move up to a more appealing spot on Golding’s staff. Meeting almost everyone who visits Golding, Nienstedt thinks maybe he’ll come across someone who has just the job for a green but ambitious politico. He still hasn’t decided whether he’s better suited to be the candidate or the man behind the scenes.

For now, he’s content to fill the underrated yet important role as the first person to speak to the supervisor’s constituents, whether they be calling with compliments or complaints.

Despite his classroom education, Nienstedt still has much to learn about politics. During an interview for this story, for example, he asked to see a copy of the article before it was printed, a privilege not granted to even the highest ranking government officials.

But Nienstedt clearly has mastered one of the basic tenets of the political trade: don’t embarrass your boss. Asked what kind of Republican he considered himself to be, Nienstedt pondered the question for a moment, and then he smiled slyly.

“Oh,” he answered. “A Susan Golding Republican.”