Clarkston duo get up-close look at campaign

Two Clarkston High School students are proving you can never be too young to get involved in politics - even if you can't vote.

Tristan Anderson and Jessica Ubachs accepted a charge from 9th Legislative District Republican candidate Susan Fagan to get young voters excited about politics.

Fagan, a former public/governmental affairs manager at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, led all candidates in the Washington 9th District primary race and stands at 5,728 votes, or almost 29 percent as of Wednesday.

It started with an invitation for the 17-year-old members of the Asotin County Youth Commission to have coffee with Fagan in Clarkston. They were invited to follow her on a door-to-door campaigning session in Spokane last month.

"It was really cool to see her connect with the voters," Ubachs said. "She was just on this personal level."

Anderson and Ubachs returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., in time to join Fagan at a primary election party in Pullman Tuesday, when her lead in the race against four other candidates was announced.

It was an event they had only seen on television, Anderson said, adding it was amazing to be in the thick of it.

"You can tell she's true American," he said.

"Susan was all emotional and had to keep her composure," Ubachs said. "It was really intense."

Anderson joined Ubachs on her family vacation this month to historically political locales, such as Washington D.C., New York City, Gettysburg, Pa., and Philadelphia, where a tour to Independence Hall started with a welcome delay as they saw first lady Michelle Obama and daughters, Sasha and Malia, being escorted out by Secret Service after a private visit.

"The guide kept making jokes about the Obamas being here," Ubachs said, adding she was able to get a picture. "There was a lot of security around."

Ubachs was appointed to the state's Legislative Youth Advisory Council last month by Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, and said she will leave for Olympia Sunday for her first meeting. She will return the day before her senior year starts.

Anderson said he is already busy getting ready for school, adding the assumption that the senior year of high school is easy is untrue. "My classes are booked this year."

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Macz may be contacted at bmacz@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2275.