As a young politician (I'm 26) running for public office, I knew the difficulties I faced being a rookie politician.
People would say I'm inexperienced, too young, haven't lived in the city long enough to know what's going on, etc.
My opponent would probably think the same, I thought, and I would use my ideas and thoughts to squash any pre-conceived notions about me.
Well, a successful primary and a roughly 10 percent general election victory later, here I am: a complete outsider ready to take on public office in my city.
Why did I win? Because I'm inexperienced, young, and haven't lived in the city long enough to know what's going on.
Ironic, isn't it? When you have a good message, you're young, and you're relatable, people will vote for you, and I'm a walking example of that.
I met thousands of people and said "I want to save you money and fight for your taxes.
" That was my message, and it was successful, obviously.
Being a young politician, there's certainly things you have to look out for, but I used them as a plus in my campaign.
A young politician who is unaffiliated doesn't have the bias that some "engrained" politicians have.
A young politician doesn't know who did what to whom 15 years ago and why that should effect my decisions today.
I can focus on the present and future of my city, not the past.
Politics is all about relating to the people you're talking to.
After going door to door, talking to countless advisors, I've came to the conclusion that people will like a young politician.
Why? Because people don't typically LIKE politicians.
However, a young politician doesn't strike people as "a politician.
" And sometimes, you don't want to be a politician to become one.