IOP Meets Twentysomething

A poster child for the MTV generation advised students last night that youth poses no impediment to running for federal office.

Ian A. Bowles '88, whose grass-roots bid for office last month attracted media attention statewide, led a discussion at the Institute of Politics on running for office as a "twentysomething."

"I just wanted to show that there is life after being quadded," quipped Bowles, a former Quadling, to lead off the night's "Pizza and Politics" discussion which attracted an audience of 25.

Bowles, 30, was 29 when he began his uphill battle for Massachusetts' District 10 congressional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

A underdog from the start, Bowles garnered 23 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary held Sept. 17, finishing second in a district which includes Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and other coastal islands.

"I grew up on the Cape, and that seat had been occupied by the same man for 24 years," said Bowles. "When it finally came open I said to myself, "When else will that seat be open and there will be no Kennedys running?'"

Bowles offered guidance to a crowd full of political aspirants.

"My first piece of advice is to watch what you do, because anything you do will end up in the papers eventually," he said. "My second piece of advice is to learn how to raise money."

After graduating magna cum laude in economics, Bowles worked in Washington for eight years. The highlight of these years was an appointment as Environmental Issues Adviser to the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign.

He said there was "no question" that a students in attendance could follow a similar path.

"I could relate to what he was talking about, because my mom ran for Congress and I've always wanted to run for the Senate," said U.C. candidate Chris-Tia E. Donaldson '00. "It really impressed me that he ran at such a young age."

In the aftermath of the primary, Bowles said he would continue to work for Democratic candidates in state and national elections this November and, if a Republican wins the 10th district race, "probably run again" in 1998.

"Being politically conscious and politically active are two different things, and I think once you're politically active, you'll always be," said IOP volunteer Massy Tadjedin '99. "I hope a lot of people here will take the same active approach as Mr. Bowles."