When US Congressman Kenny Hulshof declared he was entering Missouri’s Governor race, a seat was left open in Missouri’s Ninth District. Five Republican candidates are battling to fill his seat.

Today, The Relevant Elephant talks to one of those candidates – former University of Missouri football star Brock Olivo. The 32-year old professional athlete-turned-politician talks to us about gas prices, Washington’s out-of-control spending, and why the Republican Party needs more candidates like himself. 

The Relevant Elephant: What does it mean to be a conservative?

Brock Olivo: To me, being a conservative means you are frugal with both money and government's role in our everyday lives. It means that you base your decisions on whether or not the taxpayers can afford it. It means you respect the taxpayers' hard earned money and it also means that you approach issues with common sense solutions and don't read more into the law than is there.

I have never been a fan of titles as I believe they can be misleading. As of late, the term "conservative" has been a misnomer in DC with the out-of-control spending. The use of all of these titles tends to lead to political pandering and rhetoric and the end result is that neither side gets anything accomplished. I believe the only two titles with any substance behind them are Leaders and Followers. 
 
 
TRE: You previously admitted that you have never voted before, and you blamed it on a "wave of apathy that has affected many of my generation." How can the Republican Party help young voters become less apathetic toward the political process?

BO: I have no excuse for not voting in the past. I am the first to admit that I was wrong and that I was irresponsible. I am not blaming the "wave" of apathy, I am blaming myself for allowing myself to become a part of it. I am a recovering apathetic and I hope to be an inspiration to other people who are apathetic to the political process. I often refer to an anecdote from the campaign trail that happened a few months back. I met a gentleman after an event in a small town who told me that he had never been registered to vote in his entire life (55 years old) but that when he heard that I was running for Congress, he registered and will participate for the first time in the August 5 primary. He then told me why this sudden change had occurred; for the first time in his life, he was able to relate to someone who was running for office.
 
Our party will not begin to reach young voters until they break down some barriers and begin to embrace younger, more dynamic candidates. Young voters (and some older voters) don't feel any connection with the people that are going to DC and until they do, they will remain apathetic. They also need to begin talking about and working on more issues that affect younger generations, making sure that they will benefit from reforms as career professionals and eventual seniors.  
 

TRE: Two issues are sure to be on the minds of voters in Missouri's Ninth District when they go to the polls on August 5: transportation and gas prices. If elected, how do you plan to address both of these challenges that are daily affecting Missourians?

BO: The issue on everyone's mind is gas prices. We need more supply to meet greater worldwide demand. That's why I support repealing the ban on offshore drilling and drilling in ANWR, as this will help to eventually decrease our dependency on foreign oil. The fact is, our dependency on oil isn't going anywhere anytime soon in the U.S. - over 95% of our transportation sector is powered by petroleum-based energy. 
 
Like many Americans, I want to see as much domestic oil/energy production as possible. I look forward to the day when removing the cost of international transportation, refinement, and tariffs reduce the price we pay at the pump. I believe efforts to tap our domestic resources is only part of the equation. I want to encourage people to think about the big picture.

So my question is this:  Do we simply want lower gas prices, or do we want real, comprehensive energy reform that will sustain us for generations upon generations? As a country, we're in our infancy regarding energy - a hundred years ago we were still using whale blubber and steam. Today, we have so many viable options in alternative energy:  cleaner coal, nuclear energy, solar/geothermal/wind, and hydroelectric energy, and bio-fuels. Until recently I had no idea that 60% of our primary energy consumption comes in the form of electricity and heat, NOT oil, and by 2030, that consumption will increase over 40%. The above-mentioned sources of energy currently play a huge role and can play a much larger one in the future if we make it a priority. We should be working to make these options eventual reliable sources of energy as each of them will play a vital role in obtaining energy independence. 

Not only is this crisis a question of high costs and energy reform, it is also a question of national security; the fact that we import about 60% of our oil would make us vulnerable if those countries should decide to cut off supplies. I have no doubt that we will find solutions to these challenges, but we have to have the political will to do so. We've been treading water for 30+ years and it's time to get beyond the party bickering and to move forward as a country. As Americans, we have always answered the call, and the current energy crisis is no exception.

 
TRE: Why should a young voter in the Ninth District vote for you on August 5 over the other Republican candidates?
 
BO: I believe I am the best choice for young voters for many reasons:
 
1. We can elect someone from our generation and that will help eliminate the disconnect between young voters and the political process. 

2. We will have a voice in the halls of Congress that can relate to younger generations and truly represent them.
While in office I will involve young Missourians in as many parts of the political process as possible.

3. I am not part of the Establishment and I have the initiative and the determination to help put Congress back into the hands of the people.

4. I will encourage participation in the voting process by stressing the importance of getting out the vote.

5. I will use my experience living overseas in a country where the youth can only DREAM of having a voice in the political process, to demonstrate how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to be heard and to make a difference.

6. I will utilize my experience as a professional athlete and more importantly, my story and how I arrived there against all odds, to engage and to inspire younger generations to rise to challenges and to overcome them.

To find out more about Brock, be sure and visit his website.