It is not very often that college students run for office. It is even rarer when college students win those elections. Drew Christensen, a University of Minnesota senior majoring in political science, has defied these odds, and won the house seat for the 56A District in Minnesota. I was able to sit-down and interview this extraordinary young man.

Henry: How did it feel winning the election?

Drew: I’m really happy I won. It proves that hard work and determination can achieve victory in elections. I door knocked at every house in my district, which the people really appreciated. Most of them don’t have any concerns for the most part, but they appreciate the personal gesture of including them.

Henry: How much do you think that your experience at the University of Minnesota has prepared you for a life in politics and running for office?

Drew: To be honest, classes haven’t really prepared me at all for a lot of the things that occurred in my elections. While classes give you a lot of background in theories and the behaviors within politics, and perhaps being able to understand a lot of the rhetoric in the political world, a lot of it came down to networking and being sociable. Classes don’t really prepare you for that.

Henry: Now that the elections are over, what will be some of your first actions while in office?

Drew: One of the things I feel really strongly about, and I think the people in my district feel strongly about, is transportation. The state has spent a lot of money on a light rail system, which in many respects doesn’t serve people, especially in the suburbs. With the money that the state spent on the South West light rail line they could have expanded the lanes on I-94 around the city, which would decrease traffic congestion, an issue more people are concerned with.

Henry: What is your alternative to the light rail system?

Drew: I would support a larger busing system and extending the lanes on the highway. Jobs and places of work are constantly moving, these types of transportation are much more flexible and are able to respond much easier to these changes in job locations.

Henry: How are you going to work with other members of the House who aren’t Republican?

Drew: Well its sort of like a football game, we don’t have the manpower to constantly make Hail Mary passes down the field, we have to steadily work the ball up the field with 10 yard passes. It is going to be the same with getting these reforms passed. I’m not going to make drastic actions but small reforms which will eventually lead us to our ultimate goal of creating greater change.