At 27, Schock looks more like your typical congressional aide than a congressman, but he's taking the oath as a Republican member of the House of Representatives from the 18th district in central Illinois.Schock is the first member of Congress born in the 1980s.
He started in politics when the school board in his hometown of Peoria refused to allow him to graduate high school early, even though he'd completed the work.
His mother, Jan Knapp, says Schock doesn't take rejection lightly and, "If you tell Aaron that he can't do something, well look out, because he will do it!"
So he ran for the very school board that held him back. When a technicality kept his name off the ballot, he kept going and, Schock recalls, "In less than two months, we put together a great grassroots campaign, knocked on 13,000 houses, and got 6,406 people to write my name on the ballot correctly."
While serving as the youngest school board member in the state, Schock finished college in just two years.
At 22, he won a seat in the Illinois state legislature, where he served two terms.
A career in Washington wasn't on his radar, Schock says, until seven-term republican Ray LaHood announced his retirement from Congress.
"The door was open," Schock reflected, "and, with in all things in life, opportunity and timing is everything."
Unlike other Republicans, Schock thought the timing was right to have President Bush campaign for him. And Schock carried the district with a whopping 69 percent of the vote.
Now, he faces a new challenge.
"I'm excited," Schock says. "The last couple of months have been literally like drinking out of a fire hose.
The man he succeeds says Schock is up to the job.
"He does have a big learning curve," LaHood says, "but he's smart enough to know that, if he listens to people ... he will be successful."
Will his age be a problem on Capitol Hill?
"I think I'll bring a much different perspective than somebody who's two-or-three times my age," Schock says. "I think our country would look different, and certainly our government and its programs would look different, if more people were here that were in their 20s and 30s."
20 comments:
They say youth is what will lead our country so we should have both older and younger people in the congress. That way our youth is represented and the people who have been in politics for a long time can help when needed.
i think young people need to be in congress also, but they should listen to the people who know how things work, and not go in and think they know all the answers. Because if you have someone in their for 20 years verses a guy who just got in the guy with the 20 years is going to know more than you.
The youth have different ideas and grown up with different things. So this is a good thing! The youth should get more involved in politics I think and maybe our country would run more smoothly! I think that the youth can learn from the older but also the older can learn from the youth! Everyone has different ideas and grew up with different things!
I think, like the young mayors, he will will bring new ideas to the table. He seems like a motivated guy and he will do what needs to be done. But I think maybe his age will shock other House members. They might not like such a young guy in there, when some are double or triple his age! They might disregard him at times, but i hope he does well in representing the youth!
I think it is a good thing because now there will be input by older and younger people
Woo young politicians! That is so cool that Aaron is so driven and so successful. I wish there were more like him. We are the future. I hope he can put up with any crap the older politicians give him and I hope he makes an new identity for young politicians that want to become apart of our government.
wow obama is appointing many younge people, he mus think they could do better things for our futer.
People who want a career in politics might as well start as young as the can
Young people are what we need to our country. We are finding new ideas and I think it's great that more and more young people are stepping up and making a difference.
there should be all sorts of age groups in congress but you should listen to what the more expierienced people tell you
"Change" seems to be a theme in our country right now, and Schock will add to it. Having a younger congressman will bring new and different ideas. Who knows if it's a good or bad thing...
I think that young people is what our country needs to help change our country.
I think we need some new ideas in congress. We have mainly all old people and when things haven't been working right lately... we need some new ideas. I think youth need to get more involved in politics so we know what's going on.
youth is the future so maybe its a good thing he is so young get some old people out and get new ones in maybe the country will rebuild itself now
i think it just shows all those people out there that dont believe in our generation that look at what we can do!
i think we should leave politics to the old people
i dont think the age will have to much of affect i think it will be better due to he'll allow them to see to the younger generation
It seems like the majority of them are old rich guys so it seems like a good thing to have a ounger person in. I think he will have perspective others don't.
I think it is good that so many young people are getting involved in politics. Youth is a good way to bring new and creative ideas into politics.
It is sweet that he is their because it makes our country look better and that if he stays in there he would better off in the long run.
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