Young politicians bring a fresh and much-needed perspective to the increasingly polarized and partisan world of politics. From participating in marches, to testifying before Congress, young people are claiming their futures and getting active in the political sphere. But should their next step be running for office? Can young people really run for office, and win? This week on the Election University Podcast, we continue our investigation into young candidates who are breaking the mold and taking over. Our guest this week is Daniel Zolnikov, a State Representative from Montana and a first-hand expert on succeeding as a young candidate. Our host Jason gets the inside scoop with Rep. Zolnikov about his quick path to office, political ideology, recent legislation, and tips for young, potential candidates.

On this LIVE episode of the Election University podcast, our host Jason Bennett takes the show on the road to DEF CON 26, the world’s largest annual hacking convention. At DEF CON, young people are doing more than winning votes… they’re altering the vote tallies (more on that later). Don’t miss it!

At the age of twenty-five, Representative Zolnikov ran for office to represent Billings House District 45. At the age of twenty-six, he was sworn in. In the years since, Forbes named Rep. Zolnikov among the top “30 under 30” policymakers in the nation. He was also recognized by Red Alert Politics as one of the nation’s “Top 30 Conservatives Under the Age of 30.” Representative Zolnikov is an advocate for gun rights, civil rights, and limited government.

Interested in learning more about Rep. Zolnikov and his work in the Montana State Legislature? You can read more on his website or follow along on his Facebook page or on Twitter @DanielZolnikov.

Listeners, we want to hear from you! Do you know a young candidate running for office? Are you yourself a young person considering running for office? Has something held you back? Do you have suggestions about what we should talk about next? Whatever it is, send your thoughts and suggestions to podcast@ElectionU.com or leave a note in the comment section below.

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