Nebraska’s Tyson Larson Calls Politics a “Fickle Game”
Think Mag chatted with Tyson Larson, the youngest elected Nebraska state senator.
By Linley Sanders
At age 23, Tyson Larson campaigned to become the youngest state senator in Nebraska. By age 24, he achieved his dream. Hailing from Weeping Water, Larson is the senator for O’Neill, a small city in northeastern Nebraska. The 28-year-old advocates for investments in local, rural communities, champions limited government and takes a pro-life stance. With a ranching background, Larson is a conservative with a lot of experience — he’s been involved with political campaigns since he was 19. Make no mistake; the former New York City business intelligence analyst understands the political game. With re-election on the horizon, the Nebraska native talks politics, his motivation and “House of Cards” with Think Mag.
TM: You became a Nebraska state senator at age 24. What factored into that?
TL: When I really was looking at running my first time, I saw that so many of my generation either weren’t involved in politics or really didn’t think they could influence politics or have a say in politics. I thought that was discouraging because it’s our generation that has to live through all the decisions that are made today. I wanted to be a voice for my generation and my entire community. It was how I ran my campaign: Any decision I make, I have to live through. It makes for smarter, more forward-thinking decisions. Not just politically expedient decisions. To get re-elected, I make decisions for what’s actually best for the long-term future of the state and my community. It was a great experience; I beat a 20-year incumbent at age 24.
TM: Where did your political motivation come from? Was it influenced by your family’s involvement in politics?
TL: My parents actually got involved in politics after I did, so it was kind of my own thing. I don’t think politics is necessarily a career for me. It really is about community service and serving the community and making it better. The motivation is the want to do better for your community and the want to serve and be a leader for everybody, especially the younger generation.
TM: What advice would you have for young people trying to successfully navigate politics? What’s the best advice you’ve received?
TL: People will continually tell people to wait their turn. You don’t necessarily have to wait your turn, but make sure the time is right. Politics is a fickle game of luck and chance. When it’s your time, it’s your time. When it’s not, it’s not. And to me, people try to push it — for whatever reason. They think it’s their time, or they think that everything’s falling in line … Understand the political end game around you and the mood of the people in your district and the state. Make sure when you move forward that everything’s in line and that your ideals fall in line with your district. Like I said, politics is a fickle game of luck and chance.
TM: I’m not sure how much time you have for Netflix, but have you ever seen “House of Cards”?
TL: Of course.
TM: How similar is that to real politics? How real-world does Hollywood get?
TL: It’s D.C., and D.C. obviously has a lot of politics going on. There are holes in “House of Cards,” obviously. When it comes to (the) Nebraska legislature, we’re a unicameral. So, we don’t operate with that much deviance or divisiveness. It’s an interesting show that is great for TV, and I like watching it. When it comes to the state of Nebraska, there’s always things happening behind the scenes — but nothing like that.
TM: What are your plans for the future? Do you want to stay in politics for as long as you can?
TL: Well, Nebraska has term limits. So, I’m done after another four years. I’ll be kicked out of the legislature at the age of 32. And as I said, politics is a fickle game of luck and chance. If it’s my time, and there’s something there, maybe I’ll be interested. If not, I’ll move on in life and serve my community in another way.
Photo courtesy of Nebraska Legislature
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