For St. Thomas senior Andrew Brown, it was not a matter of if he would run for office but when. Now, as his St. Thomas career draws to a close, Brown will appear on the ballot this November in a bid for state representative.

“That’s the only way you can actually make a difference,” Brown said of his decision to run. “You can’t complain about the outcome of an election if you just sat on your thumbs and did nothing.”

Brown became involved with the St. Thomas College Republicans when he transferred here in the spring of 2012, looking to make like-minded friends. He was vice chair of the organization from fall 2013 to spring 2014. When his friends suggested he run for office, he decided to give it a try and filed as a candidate. He will be up against incumbent Erin Murphy, currently representing District 64A.

Brown has been campaigning while taking classes at St. Thomas. He praised the support he has received from his friends and from allies in the Capitol, such as the Minnesota House Republican Campaign Committee. He has been endorsed by the GOP and the Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee.

“I haven’t done it alone, thankfully,” Brown said. “If I were to do that, I don’t know where I would be.”

Steven Hoffman, chair of the St. Thomas political science department, said that while Brown may be at the “far end of the age spectrum” for candidates at 25 years old, he didn’t think his youth would prove to be a detriment.

“People often, particularly at the level of a state legislative seat, respond positively to youth and to someone looking for that experience,” Hoffman said. “You have to start somewhere, and a House seat is oftentimes seen as an initial step.”

Freshman Carson Patton also thought the 25-year-old might have an advantage.

“It opens him up to a broader audience, the fact that he’s so young,” she said.

Senior Jacob Kaska agreed that youth shouldn’t deter anyone from running for office.

“It’s impressive that he’s running this early in life,” Kaska said.

Sophomore Jane Feely said she would consider voting for Brown.

“I would do some more research before deciding, but he leaves a positive impression,” Feely said.

Brown said much of his inspiration to run for office came from his concern for local businesses.

“The path Minnesota is going down isn’t pretty,” Brown said. He believes out of control spending and too-heavy tax burdens are putting too much of a strain on local businesses.

“We want a business environment where we are not losing companies to North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa,” he said. “We need to create a healthier business environment in this state.”

If elected, Brown also plans to make fixing St. Paul’s roads a priority.

“St. Paul roads are sub-par,” he added. A personal experience with a large pothole on Cretin Avenue and a busted tire last winter strengthened his belief that the city does not spend enough on its transportation system.

Lauren Schaffran can be reached at scha7492@stthomas.edu.