BREAKING: The Democratic Governor of Maine just announced her campaign to defeat Susan Collins. This is huge.

[SomewhereInTheMiddle]

94. How to identify young talent?

This is an honest question. Not a slam or a strawman.

How do you identify young talent for political leadership? And what is the right level to blood them in American politics?

The only thing I know about Plantner is what I just read on Wikipedia. Sounds like an interesting guy. I admit I am biased towards military backgrounds but know they are no guarantee of leadership potential. His positions mostly seem reasonable.

But he has never stood for office and never been elected. We have no idea how he will perform in a political context. Should his introduction to elected office be the US Senate?

I think Pete B has performed at both the local and national level so I could easily support him for a Senate run. I think the same now with AOC. I could see her moving into the Senate if she could convince enough rural/non-NYC voters in New York to elect her.

For political novices like Plantner, it seems that a local office or state legislative office might be a better context in which to learn the political trade - both getting elected and actually performing the job. I think the US Senate is too high stakes and high demand for a complete novice. Even a seat in the US House would be a better starting point - somewhat lower stakes.

How can we best grow our young politicians into effective legislators and leaders?

Somehow, I don't see throwing them into the deep end is the best answer.