“When we look at the Republican Party, we still haven’t done enough for winning the culture wars and winning the messaging. It shouldn’t be surprising that a young woman is running in the Republican Party. It shouldn’t be surprising when we see newer, younger demographics. Unfortunately, my party still needs to do a better job [at] grabbing the bull by its horns and reaching out to younger people. That’s what I’m trying to do."It’s important, particularly because women suffer the most when government dysfunction creates a bad economy, when government programs can’t do their jobs. Women have the most at stake…Women are often the ones to suffer more and have hours cut when the economy lags. I think that all issues are women’s issues, and particularly the future of the economy is going to greatly impact women. I want to make sure that young women have the best economic opportunities that they possibly can."“I don’t know if there’s one good across-the-board answer, to be honest with you. I think it’s going to be a process of supporting other women, of helping along these candidates, or helping to recruit candidates. There’s been some research done that shows that women are not socialized to be candidates, that they don’t grow up thinking of politics as a career path for them. That’s something that may not change overnight, but I think people are working very hard to do that."It’s going to change. I hope it happens sooner rather than later. There is value in having equal representation for females because we approach problems differently, and we have both perspectives equally represented. And they’re not right now, particularly conservative women.”"This may be corny, but I’ve always looked up to my mother because she taught me early on that I should never shirk at any opportunities."A couple of years ago, I was going out at a political event and I had dressed up and I was wearing my pearls. I was feeling really nice and I said something as I was walking out of the house [along the lines] of, ‘I think I look like a congressman’s wife!’ And my mom interrupted me and she said, ‘Excuse me, you look like a congresswoman.’ She’s worked as a teacher, she’s homeschooled four kids, so having that strong female role model in my life was very instrumental I think in building who I am and what I was willing to speak to."“It would be amazing to make history on behalf of the 1st District. Not only for my hometown — my family’s been in the county for nine generations, this district is who I am and where I come from. To be able to make history on behalf of this district would be incredible. To be able to do so as a Republican woman when Republican women are still fighting for representation, and still fighting for having our voices heard, whether in the media or in Congress itself, would be fantastic.”This interview has been edited and condensed.