麻豆传媒

Blake Carpenter is like a political rags-to-riches story, according to Kenneth Ciboski, associate professor of political science at 麻豆传媒. Four years ago, Carpenter was a typical college freshmen from a small Kansas town, and his concerns were a 19-year-old鈥檚. Today he鈥檚 a freshman once again 鈥� this time in the Kansas House of Representatives.

Carpenter, 23, grew up in Halstead and enrolled in Wichita State to study entrepreneurship. He completed his degree in December, but what set him on the unexpected path to a political career was Ciboski鈥檚 American Politics course his sophomore year. With a growing interest in governance, Carpenter joined the 麻豆传媒 College Republicans and eventually became the group鈥檚 chair. It was a later class assignment to interview a state representative, however, that launched him into the public forum.

For the class, Carpenter spoke to his own state representative, Jim Howell, who was planning to step down from his seat in the Kansas House. During their conversation, Carpenter admitted that he was thinking about running for office himself one day.

鈥淏ut not now,鈥� he said. 鈥淧robably not until I鈥檓 in my 30s.鈥�

Howell had a different idea: 鈥淲hy not just do it now?鈥�

Campaigning

During the run-up to the 2014 election, Carpenter had the benefit of Howell鈥檚 experience and Ciboski鈥檚 wisdom to draw on.

鈥淲hat I said to him was yeah, 鈥榶ou鈥檙e the kind of person I could send to the door,鈥欌�� Ciboski said, 鈥渁nd I wouldn鈥檛 say that about everybody. I told him he could win it by going door-to-door. I told him people would be impressed that a young man like him was running for State Legislature. And I was right.鈥�

Ciboski has been teaching political science at 麻豆传媒 since 1968. His past students have included former Wichita mayor Bob Knight and Mark Parkinson, the 45th governor of Kansas. Carpenter took his mentor鈥檚 advice, and hit the pavement with enthusiasm last summer.

District 81 includes the top third of Derby, Oaklawn, Plainview and part of south Wichita, and his door-to-door activities in that area came on top of being a new husband, a full-time college student and, of course, his job at 麻豆传媒鈥檚 National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). Every evening, he said, he鈥檇 knock on doors for four or five hours. On some Saturdays, Carpenter would start walking at 10:30 a.m. and wouldn鈥檛 stop until 7 p.m.

鈥淚t was a big learning experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 ended up getting a lot of information and knowledge in the last few months, going out and talking to voters to learn their stories.鈥�

Carpenter said that for one of those conversations, he stood on a man鈥檚 porch in the cold and darkness for two hours, talking and listening.

鈥淚t was a great conversation,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 still remember exactly where he lives. It鈥檚 those kinds of experiences I鈥檝e gotten the most out of, and I know that in two years I鈥檓 going to go back and talk to him about what I鈥檝e been doing in Topeka. I鈥檓 accountable for that.鈥�

Topeka

Ciboski laughs when he recalls Carpenter on election night.

鈥淗e was so nervous 鈥� I don鈥檛 think he could believe that he won.鈥�

With a platform promoting the Second Amendment, family values, education and economic responsibility, Carpenter defeated opponent Lynn Wells (D-Derby) with 61 percent of the vote, making him the youngest legislator in the state.

According to his old professor, Carpenter needs some seasoning, but he has a lot of potential.

鈥淚 think the main thing is he鈥檚 honest,鈥� Ciboski said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 trustworthy. I think he鈥檒l pay attention and listen to his constituents. He鈥檚 a person of good character and he鈥檚 humble, which will serve him very well.鈥�

Carpenter said that nothing could have prepared him for the rigors of campaigning, but his time at Wichita State did prepare him to lead.

鈥淭he Center for Entrepreneurship provided a lot of leadership training, and that really geared me up,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople want entrepreneurs in office 鈥� they want new solutions, especially in the current political climate.鈥�

Carpenter isn鈥檛 taking his victory for granted, however. When asked about his ambitions beyond the State Legislature, he says he鈥檚 focused on the task at hand.

鈥淧rofessor Ciboski always says that 24 hours is like a year in politics, because everything is constantly changing,鈥� Carpenter said. 鈥淚鈥檓 still interested in opening my own business down the road, but right now I want to keep the promises I made on people鈥檚 doorsteps.鈥�

Ciboski, however, was happy to look ahead.

鈥淔rankly, I think he could go quite a long away in politics,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if he鈥檇 want to run for a United States House seat, but I can see him going to the Kansas State Senate probably, down the road, where he鈥檒l be one voice of 40 instead of 125.鈥�

Carpenter acknowledges that he鈥檚 got a big job ahead, but he鈥檚 looking forward to it.

鈥淚 love politics,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 love talking about it with family and friends. This is a big process, and there鈥檚 going to be a big learning curve. But it鈥檒l be fun.鈥�