With the rise of a president like Donald Trump, our youth sees the danger of abstaining from voting. That apathy seems to have been all but squashed now, replaced with vigor and passion for issues that have existed for so long, but rarely got much attention. We have local kids who are excited to stage anti-gun demonstrations and to attend political club meetings, which used to only be my thing, but whatever. Despite this newly developed passion, there are few candidates who have been able to leverage this newly present millennial energy. Those who have are the visionaries, leaders who are genuinely excited at the prospect of positive change for our towns and for us all.
As far as the race for California’s 25th congressional seat is concerned, Jess Phoenix is the only candidate who has made progress toward being the visionary we need. When I heard Jess talk for the first time, so much about her got me excited. She becomes increasingly genuine the longer you hear her speak, a rarity for politicians.
Jess represents what this district is capable of becoming. Her presence as a role model and political figurehead would put us in the national spotlight. This comes with the potential to draw new entrepreneurs and creatives to our district, which continues to suffer from severe brain drain. If you like the idea of filling out local main streets with trendy new shops, as well as growing the number of local high paying jobs, there’s no alternative but Jess. When you add in the fact that she’s a bilingual volcano scientist, how can anyone else even compete? She is the kind of candidate who inspires millennials to pay attention, learn about the issues, and get legitimately excited for what the future holds.
Charles Vignola
Canyon Country
