Why I Want to Run for Office (and Why I Still Believe in Politics)

Whenever I mention that I plan to run for office in Nevada once the kids are a little older I’m often met with the same reaction: a curious (and sometimes incredulous) look, followed by, “Why would you want to do that?”

It’s a question I’ve been getting since college, back when I chose to major in Political Science. “Why on Earth would anyone want to study politics?” they'd ask. And to be honest, if I could do it over again, I might have pursued History, Law, or Economics instead. But not because my passion for politics has faded - far from it. That fire has only grown.

The word politics comes from the ancient Greek word politiká, meaning “affairs of the cities.” At its root, politics is about how communities make decisions, organize themselves, and navigate the complexities of shared life. That sounds exciting to me.

I’ve always been drawn to debate and to conversations centered on questions without easy answers. When done well, these kinds of exchanges expand the mind. They bring clarity to how the world works - and how it often doesn’t - for others. They cultivate empathy and illuminate the deeper values that shape our society: language, diplomacy, law and order, compassion, freedom. They remind us that we are wildly unique and stunningly alike at the same time.

But lately, it feels like we’ve forgotten how to talk to each other. Real debate has been replaced by shouting matches, name-calling, threats, cancellations, and social media takedowns. Instead of engaging with diverse ideas, we retreat into echo chambers and surround ourselves with people who look like us, think like us, vote like us. We convince ourselves this is unity.

But that’s not unity. That’s uniformity.

Throughout history, the strongest bonds and most meaningful progress have come from people who disagreed - sometimes fiercely - but chose to work together anyway. If you’re religious, consider the apostles: one was a tax collector who worked for the Roman government; another was a zealot who actively sought to overthrow it. Polar opposites. And yet they were unified in their mission to spread the word of Christ.

Look at the Founding Fathers. George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Adams were Federalists who believed in a strong central government. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were Anti-Federalists who feared centralized power and advocated for stronger states’ rights. They clashed. They debated. But they also compromised and collaborated to build the foundation of a nation.

We don’t solve problems by shutting each other out. Dialogue is meant to be difficult. So is unity. Real solutions only come from engaging with people who see the world differently. That means stepping outside our comfort zones. It means asking questions, listening to understand - not just to respond - and being willing to be challenged.

That’s why I love politics. Not for the partisanship or the power plays. But for the stories of big ideas born from everyday men and women who believe things can be better. I love the messy, frustrating, beautiful process of debate and compromise and hard-won progress.

And that’s why I want to run for office. Because I still believe in the promise of what politics can be. I believe we need leaders who aren’t afraid of discomfort - leaders who see differences not as threats, but as opportunities to build something stronger. I want to be one of those leaders.

Because while politics has gotten a bad name, it still holds the potential to be something noble.

It can still be about us - all of us - coming together to decide who we want to be.