Whenever a millennial mounts a campaign against an established incumbent, it’s sure to be an uphill battle. However, Adam Roosevelt says he’s up for the challenge; at just 25 years of age, he is running to be elected delegate for the 49th District of Virginia.
Roosevelt was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and enlisted in the Army at just 17 years old. During his time in the Army, he held a few different leadership roles that included a Senior Advisory Leadership Role where he helped the Train Advise Assist Mission. Now he works as a cybersecurity contractor for the Department of Homeland Security.
Red Alert Politics sat down with Roosevelt to get a feel for what it’s like to be a millennial running for elected office. He was quick to note that he was not too young to go to war, and now he’s not too young to serve in elected office. He also noted that many of the founding fathers were around the same age.
“Age is defined by mentality and experience,” he explained, and Roosevelt says he has experience that will help him be a successful delegate — one of which is his experience as a small-business owner.
Roosevelt noted the burden of high taxes that has been placed on small businesses. He says that if elected, he will bring the corporate tax down from 6 percent to 4 percent for small businesses who qualify, additionally commenting that “the free market has to have a place here in Virginia.”
Roosevelt feels that education is the biggest issue facing the district. He explained that people want higher paying jobs, but are struggling to pay for the education to get them there. Despite reports that say Arlington is doing a good job with education, Roosevelt believes citizens need to look at the lack of well-paying jobs in the district; a lot of Millennials cannot afford to live in the 49th district as it stands today.
In addition to the need to ease cost, Roosevelt would like to see a better transition for graduates from college into the workforce, which he believes would help millennials afford housing in the area. Roosevelt plans to talk with schools and help them lower the costs for students. This will help families who suffer under the burden of college debt.
Roosevelt finds it extremely important to engage the people he wants to represent. He does a weekly Facebook live show called the “Roosevelt Weekly Report.” The videos allow him be transparent with voters, and he plans to continue the weekly videos if elected.
Running against a three-term incumbent, Roosevelt knows that he’s competing in a tough race.
“I’m in an environment where they say it’s impossible for a Republican to win. Why would I do that? Because I care about the people,” he says.
In his closing remarks, Roosevelt asked the people of the 49th district to try something different. He asked they take a “leap of faith” and watch the upcoming debates. He believes if the public gets to know him, he’ll be the next Delegate for District 49.
