Kipp Mueller, 34

34-year-old Kipp Mueller is running to be the first Democrat ever to represent California’s 21st Senate District. A workers’ rights and immigration attorney, he’s running to combat the injustices facing working class and middle class families.

What was the best advice he received before you ran for office?

I got a lot of general life advice from my grandpa. He was always inspired by FDR. He had a “Just do it, get it done” mentality. That was his mentality and he impressed it upon me.  It was general life advice, with a political lean. I felt like he was telling me to just fight for what you believe is right and push through.

I've received a lot of specific advice from people who have run for office. The most useful has been to take time to pause, reflect and collect yourself. Politics inevitably brings a lot of drama and chaos, and I think the traits that are really lacking in politics are things like patience and thoughtfulness.

When did that light bulb go off? When did you realize you wanted to run for office?

I knew vaguely. I wanted to be involved in politics. I may want to run for office. But you want it to be the right opportunity. You want it to feel right. 

I thought maybe I would just do what I can to support others in politics. It wasn't until I was assisting Katie Hill's campaign, providing volunteers and resources for her, that I began a process of asking who's going to run for all these other seats that were winnable. I thought we could sweep up and down the ballot. 

“Even though I'm in my 30s, how to deal with the issues that matter to my generation is being determined right now, and the decisions made now will determine whether we adapt or face an existential threat like climate change.”

I was asking local community leaders who was going to run and I was repeatedly told, "Nobody, why do you keep asking us?" And finally, a couple of people said, “You keep asking everybody else. Why don’t you do it?” And the opportunity struck. The opportunity may present itself, and you just have to seize it when the opportunity is right. Decide for yourself if that's what you want to do. 

Even though I'm in my 30s, how to deal with the issues that matter to my generation is being determined right now, and the decisions made now will determine whether we adapt or face an existential threat like climate change.

Technologies are emerging right now like quantum computing which Google announced, and how and to what extent we regulate that matters to us immensely. Also issues facing workers in the gig economy. What's it like to make a living in the gig economy? Can you survive on that? All these issues - we're at a pivotal moment right now. And our generation deserves to have a prominent voice on those issues because we’ve got to live through the consequences of what's decided today.

You're running in a district that's been historically represented by Republicans. How do you hope to flip the district and what do you think is your path to victory?

It's a district that’s moved more Democratic, I think because people are seeing the Republican Party for what it's becoming, especially nationally. People are disillusioned and bothered by this president, this administration, and the way that the party is enabling this administration as well.

My district is actually six-point registered advantage for Democrats 37 to 31, the rest being no party preference voters. It overlaps a lot of the 25th district, and in 2018 Katie Hill won her election by nine points. So it's a very winnable district. 

I think that while Democrats do have a lot to improve still, because we've got our fair share of problems in California without a doubt, whether it's homelessness, the poverty gap, funding for schools is too low, or whichever problems, people are also seeing that the Democrats have largely been effective, particularly since gaining a supermajority in Sacramento. 

What are the issues in your district you think have been left unaddressed that you want to tackle?

I mean, first and foremost, there are not enough jobs in this district. A lot of people commute, are underemployed, or unemployed. Many people are working two or three jobs part-time just to try to get by and that's because there's not enough of an infrastructure to build an economy out of the district.  Even the basics, the Antelope Valley doesn't even have a full-service hospital. The area has been neglected by politicians for a long time. 

Santa Clarita has gotten a lot of the attention from State Leadership at the expense of other parts of the district. Our state senator should be a representative for every part of the district that falls within those lines. There's a lot of potential! That's the exciting part. We have a lot of smart people who are willing and want to work. We just need to get the resources to build that out. Getting a four-year university into the district, getting hospitals into the district and improving our schools are priorities of mine. The basics that allow people to live comfortably lead to a growing economy.

One of your opponents have said, “From what I’ve seen, he doesn’t have the wealth of experience (needed) to be an effective legislator,” Have you found that people doubt you on the campaign trail because of your age? 

My age is actually noticeably more positive than it is negative. People are really excited about young people running. They want fresh ideas, fresh faces, people are tired of the same old politics. They want people who are young and authentic. 

“People are really excited about young people running. They want fresh ideas, fresh faces, people are tired of the same old politics. They want people who are young and authentic.”

I've found people have been really, really supportive, very supportive with the exception of literally just my opponents. They’re the only ones I ever hear try to use my age against me. Of course people want to make sure that you have the capacity to be a successful representative. But that isn't determined by age. There’s plenty of older people who do not and there's plenty of younger people who do. People see through that critique and for the most part people are really excited about young people running.

What experiences do you think have prepared you the most for this role?

I would say my work as a labor attorney because I'm immersed in the state law and statutory framework of our state system. So when my opponents bring up my “lack of experience”, I'm like, that's a funny critique. 

I know the state law. I'm constantly immersed in it. I'm a policy wonk. I get really fixed on the legislative changes taking place that can help workers and working families. There'll be times in cases where I'm stymied by something in the law that is problematic and is causing problems for my case. 

I would also say working in DOJ and working with Santa Clara District Attorney’s office prepared me. I have a lot of experience in both civil and criminal law. Everyone's experiences prepare them in different ways. 

You should definitely be prepared for the job you're running for. There's no doubt about that. But don't buy into what everyone says is preparedness. We have a president right now who pretended that his life has prepared him and obviously he still has no idea what he's doing. Both his age and his “experience” did not prepare him for it at all. When someone says that a younger candidate doesn’t have the experience, unless that person can point to specific experiences that would be necessary and are lacking, the critique doesn’t hold water and isn’t persuasive to most people. 

What are some challenges you’ve faced because you are a young candidate?

Fundraising is difficult. There's no doubt about that. And it's because the friends that you rely on that you're reaching out to don't have a ton of money saved up. Our generation just doesn't save very much, because we have a hard time doing it.

That pretty closely relates to the other problem, which is that you have to hit a tipping point in your campaign where you're legitimized as a candidate and people start hopping on board. And that takes time. 

You feel like you're just punching a wall because it's chicken and the egg. The money comes when you're legitimate, but you're legitimate when you have the money.

Those things are hard to get past and people may assume things about your campaign because you’re young, they think you probably can't raise money and probably aren't as legitimate. So you have a little bit more of a burden to bear, I would say. People want to see more proof of your legitimacy than they would other candidates. But you put in the work. You just put in the work and you prove your value to people, and then you can get there.

Do you have any advantages as a younger candidate? 

People are excited about young people running. I think that's the big advantage. Everybody is super encouraging. People are really, really excited to see young people run and it gives you momentum each time you speak somewhere, each time you meet with people, you can just tell they're excited that you're jumping into this. 

What first got you into public service and politics?

Injustices. My dad was a house painter and I grew up with modest means and I went to public schools. And I remember when I had a friend. I was 15, my friend was 15 and he was black. 

We went to the counselor's office, and they asked us to plan out our lives with the counselor. We both went in and they told me I should try to be like a mathematician. He came and said, “Dude, they told me I should be a carpenter.”

“

I already know that if I were to quit today, it still would have been so worth it because of all the people I met, all the things I learned, all the voices I was able to hear from because I ran. There’s nothing like it.”

There's so much there. We were within a public school that was creating the trajectories of our lives when we're so young, already putting us on different paths at this age. It just blew my mind because he was a smart guy in the same classes I was in. There was just so much wrong with that moment, knowing there's implicit racial biases there, maybe explicit as well, embedded in our public system. 

Then I went to Berkeley and learned more about injustices in the world - racial justice, social justice, economic justice - the history of the world and colonialism, and I just felt like wanted to be a part of modernizing our world and making it more fair and just.

What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to another young Dem who is considering a run for office?

Do it - with an asterisk. Do your research and pick the right battle.  If you're thinking about running then you probably have it in you. But pick the right opportunity. And when you make the decision, give it your all.

Yeah, it's challenging, but it's immensely rewarding. I already know that if I were to quit today, it still would have been so worth it because of all the people I met, all the things I learned, all the voices I was able to hear from because I ran. There’s nothing like it. It will challenge you and humble you. And it’s so worth it.