In December 1999, Zach Courser ’99 and a few friends gathered on a balcony on the west front of the United States Capitol. Sipping cranberry juice and watching the sun set over the Lincoln Memorial, Courser was living large and enjoying his life as systems administrator for J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

But by the time he’d gotten his feet wet as a staffer in the Capitol, sitting on the sidelines was no longer enough. Courser wanted to be in the game, and a statehouse race, he says, was “one of those times when desire met opportunity,” with a seat opening in his hometown of Vancouver, Wash. So he left his comfortable office with the large desk and credenza, and moved home to run at the ripe old age of 23.

Armed with self-confidence, faith in his abilities, and the support of his family, Courser won an uncontested Republican primary, and squared off against an established, older Democrat in the November 2000 general election. In a district targeted by both parties, the race cost one-third more than the average House race, and the campaigning was intense.

Courser lost the race, but intends to try again. “It was very disappointing,” he admits, “but it makes you that much more desirous of office.”

And while his age might have presented the biggest challenge in the campaign, he says it also helped him bypass the hurdles often faced by more traditional candidates. “One of the reasons I was so eager to run was because it was a unique time, and I could devote all my energy to the race,” Courser says. “It was a challenge that I hope to mount again some day. I don’t regret running so young because it gave me invaluable experience.”

CMC government professor John J. Pitney Jr., author of The Art of Political Warfare, says many factors prompt candidates to leap into the fray. First, he says, candidates must think they can win. Then there’s the fun factor. “In CMC courses, you learn that politics can be fun. People get involved because it’s a clash of ideas, and if you love to watch and work with vivid, strong, or eccentric characters, there is no better calling than politics.

“And then there’s patriotism,” Pitney says. “Behind all the maneuvering is the real reason for seeking office, which is the serious business of serving the country.”

Elizabeth Spalding, director of CMC’s Washington Program, has seen firsthand the sincerity CMC Washington interns bring to their various public policy roles.

“Last fall, despite—or in some respects, because of—the terrorist attacks and the war on terrorism, five or six of the program students said they intended to run for political office in the future. There seemed to be a new commitment to public service,” she says.

The Washington Program, now entering its 31st year, frequently draws students to the nation’s capital over studying abroad because they know it will deepen their understanding of government and the political process.

“They know in advance that they will leave here fulfilled, but also exhausted, after an unforgettable experience,” Spalding said. “Congressman Dreier is CMC’s most prominent example of the connection between doing the Washington Program and serving in office, ” she says, emphasizing the close ties between a public service-based education and the desire to serve the public even after graduation.

Many CMCers fall asleep at night designing their mailers, counting lawn signs, and seeing precinct maps. Somewhere in Claremont, a sophomore is charting her life, wondering how to balance parenting and candidacy.

One alumnus paused recently to wonder whether a race might be in the cards. Will redistricting and demographic changes make the seat easier or more difficult to attain? Idealism is a motivator, but the restrictions of a part-time legislature cause hesitation.

Drawing on his inner resolve, he said, “If those of us who do believe in the system don’t work within it, then the system will cease to work.”

For CMCers, that seems to be the best motivation of all.