He was 10 years old back in 1995 and excited for then-President Clinton's State of the Union address, even past his bedtime.
TyJuan Cratic was, and still is, hooked on politics, particularly, "how it changes people's lives for the better," he said.
Cratic moved into his current position as deputy chief of staff for Ald. Jason C. Ervin in mid-May.
"It's a great honor to just run for [ political ] office, but I haven't really thought of [ running myself ] ," Cratic said.
He has, though, had a quick taste of the political world first-hand.
He had a stint as the 2010 District canvass director in Ohio's 13th Congressional District for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ( DCCC ) on behalf of Congresswoman Betty Sutton. Ohio's 13th Congressional District was the only competitive congressional race that a Democrat won in the state. Before Ohio, he was the field director in the successful primary campaign in Georgia's 12th congressional district for Democratic Congressman John Barrow.
Also on the political front, Cratic:
—Was the only high school intern during Lisa Madigan's run for attorney general in 2002;
—Was the president of the Southern Illinois University College Democrats, which included his involvement in the 2004 multi-person U.S. Senate debate, including Barack Obama. "He was a very cool person, with a very cool, calm demeanor," Cratic said. "I never truly took the time to appreciate that first meeting [ with Obama ] until it was over;" and
—Was an intern in 2005 for Sen. Dick Durbin and again met Obama. "He said something to me at that time that, to this day, truly changed the way I perceived myself in politics," Cratic said.
Photos by Ross Forman
THE STATS
Name
TyJuan J. Cratic
Age
26
Neighborhood
Maple Park
Relationship status
Newly single
Job title
Deputy chief of staff, communications and community relations for 28th Ward Ald. Jason C. Ervin
Favorite politicians
Harold Washington, Paul Simon and Lisa Madigan
Hooked on
Movies
The quote
"I am a hopeless romantic. I love to love."
PR world
Has been running a public relations firm since November, 2010, focusing on politics
All-time favorite movies
Soldier's Girl, The Candidate and Boy Culture
