From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Pete Ashdown
Pete Ashdown
Pete Ashdown restaurant, working for an electrical contractor, comput-
er sales and repair, and data entry.
Ashdown graduated from Woods Cross High School in
1985 and attended Salt Lake Community College, subse-
quently transferring to the University of Utah to study
filmmaking. While at the university, Ashdown began
studying computer science.
Throughout the early 1990s, Ashdown was a promot-
er and participant in rave culture, importing acid house
music to Utah and throwing concerts with partner John
Webster. Although these concerts played host to drugs
such as ecstasy, Ashdown has stated that he did not par-
ticipate, commenting that, "I never took drugs during the
raves, and I never encouraged anyone to do so [...] I made
an effort to not equate raves with drugs. A large reason
why I left the scene is that it became more of a dealer and
pusher situation."[1]
While at the University of Utah, Ashdown was hired
by local computer graphics firm Evans & Sutherland as
Born January 11, 1967 (1967-01-11)
Salt Lake City, Utah a computer operator and administrative assistant. After
Ashdown’s mother Greta died in 1990, his father urged
Nationality American him to start his own business. In 1993, at the age of 26,
Alma mater University of Utah Ashdown formed the ISP XMission with an investment
from his father, and in 1994 left Evans & Sutherland.
Occupation CEO of XMission In 1998, Pete married his wife Robin. They have three
Known for Entrepreneurship, Utah U.S. Senate children, Madeleine, Henry, and Greta.
election, 2006
Political Democratic 2006 U.S. Senate election
party
Main article: United States Senate election in Utah, 2006
Spouse Robin (1998-present) Ashdown was the only Democrat who filed to run against
incumbent Republican Senator Orrin Hatch in the 2006
Peter Lynn "Pete" Ashdown (born January 11, 1967) is Utah Senate election. Ashdown stated that he was "dis-
the founder and CEO of Utah’s first independent and old- gusted" by Hatch’s policies regarding technology, no-
est Internet service provider, XMission. In 2006 he chal- tably the INDUCE Act. He supports the goals of the Elec-
lenged and lost to incumbent U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, tronic Frontier Foundation, and has stated the support
running as the Democratic candidate. for reforming copyright laws in support of initiatives tak-
en by the EFF.
Early life, education, and ca- In July 2005, Ashdown was endorsed by the blog Bo-
ing Boing for the election.[2] Ashdown is believed to be
reer one of the first politicians to use a wiki to develop a cam-
Ashdown was born in Salt Lake City to Robert and Greta paign platform, although he has had to restrict editing
Ashdown, and grew up in Bountiful, Utah. His father due to excessive vandalism.[3]
worked as a machinist, an elementary school teacher, Ashdown lost, and Hatch was re-elected with 62% of
and a professor of manufacturing design at Salt Lake the vote, but Ashdown’s showing of 31% was claimed
Community College. His mother, an immigrant from Den- to be strong against an entrenched incumbent, and the
mark, ran the Ashdowns’ family business of importing low amount of money spent by the Ashdown campaign
kitchenware from Finland. In his teen and young adult (around $250,000).
years, Ashdown held jobs of bussing tables at a Japanese
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Pete Ashdown
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for United States Sena- Succeeded by
Scott Howell tor from Utah Most Recent
(Class 1)
2006
2012 U.S. Senate election ashdown-announces-us-senate-run/. Retrieved 12
November 2011.
Main article: United States Senate election in Utah, 2012
Ashdown formally announced on November 11, 2011,
that he would again seek the Democratic nomination to
External links
challenge Orrin Hatch in the 2012 Utah U.S. Senate elec- • Pete Ashdown’s campaign website
tion.[4][5] • Pete Ashdown’s campaign Wiki
• Ashdown’s account of the first rave in Utah
References •
•
Wired News Interview
Raising money for the poor
[1] SLweekly.com Persondata
[2] BoingBoing.net
Name Ashdown, Pete
[3] PeteAshdown.org
[4] "Pete Ashdown to try again to unseat Sen. Hatch". Alternative names
Deseret News. 8 November 2011. Short description
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705393968/ Date of birth January 11, 1967
Pete-Ashdown-to-try-again-to-unseat-Sen-
Place of birth Salt Lake City, Utah
Hatch.html. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
[5] "Pete Ashdown announces US Senate run against Date of death
Orrin Hatch". QSaltLake. Place of death
http://www.qsaltlake.com/2011/11/11/pete-
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pete_Ashdown&oldid=460229630"
Categories:
• 1967 births
• American businesspeople
• American people of Danish descent
• Living people
• People from Salt Lake City, Utah
• Utah Democrats
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