The Ohio activist talks swing state politics, what it means to be part of the GOP, and whether or not she's a member of the establishment.
After graduating from John Carroll University in 1998, Lisa Stickan of Cleveland, Ohio, started law school and joined the local chapter of the Young Republicans. In subsequent years, as she followed in her father's footsteps and became a prosecutor, she rose in that organization, and is now Chair of the Young Republican National Federation, America's oldest political youth organization.
Ask her about politics and her inclination isn't to talk about ideology or policy details -- for her, politics means going door-to-door on behalf of a candidate she believes in, serving on her City Council, dropping off campaign literature, and participating in the regional roundtables and meetings that shape the future of the GOP. We talked about her involvement in politics, her assessment of what younger Republicans care about, the GOP establishment, and Ohio as a swing state.
What follows is an edited transcript.
At what age did you first identify as a Republican?
I was probably between 10 and 12. My mother got involved in the community, and instilled in me a desire to do the same. We met some great candidates and wound up dropping literature for them. And then I came to realize that, with my values and beliefs, I identified with the Republican Party. When you talk to people who are really into politics there's that love of meeting people, discussing issues -- if there's a candidate you really love, promoting them by getting literature out and knocking on doors. I always really enjoyed that sort of activity. I like to meet people.