Although only 17 years old, Alexander Chamales, a sophomore in Lubbock, Texas, has a passion for politics rarely seen at any age. Since the 2012 presidential election that originally sparked his passion, he has volunteered for seven separate campaigns, is interning for Gov. Greg Abbott, has received the Empower Texans’ Conservative Leader Award, attended the governor’s inaugural dinner, is a member of the NRA, and has shaken hands (and taken a selfie) with the likes of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Commissioner George P. Bush, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

Following the 2012 presidential race, Chamales’ interest in the political process grew.  He said he began to realize “how precious our right as Americans is to choose whom we want to govern us … and that people have a say in the process as long as they are willing to participate.” The fact that he was not of legal voting age didn’t stop him—he began keeping up with current events, attending local Republican Party meetings, and volunteering for campaigns.

Chamales’ campaign experience began when he volunteered for a family friend—current State Sen. Charles Perry (R–Lubbock), who was running for State Rep. in the 2014 Republican Primary at the time. Perry was successful in the primary, however, the resignation of former State Sen. Robert Duncan led to him running for the vacated Senate seat. Chamales’ campaign responsibilities included dispersing yard signs, block walking, and making calls at phone banks.

Following Perry’s successful bid, Chamales moved to other campaigns, such as Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock), Comptroller Glenn Hegar, Land Commissioner George P. Bush, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Gov. Greg Abbott.

In addition to volunteering, Chamales also spends his time reaching out to young people and adults alike through social media—and with impressive reach. For example, his Instagram page, filled with quotes from conservative leaders such as Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan, already has over 2,000 followers. And unlike millions on Hilary’s Twitter account, his followers are real.

Through his involvement both on and offline, Chamales aspires to, “see the great state of Texas, and even America as a whole, be a city on a hill for liberty and prosperity … to help revive fiscal conservatism and laissez-faire capitalism, our Judeo-Christian values, and American exceptionalism.” Even at a young age, he refuses to be a bystander and take for granted what millions have sacrificed their lives for Americans to have in government—a voice.

Outside of civic engagement, Chamales enjoys writing poetry, hunting big game, reading, running, and photography. You can follow Chamales on Instagram at #Conservatives_for_Christ and on Twitter at @A_Chamales.

 


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Lauren Melear

Lauren Melear leads the West Texas Bureau of Texas Scorecard. When not working, Lauren enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog, as well as cooking, working out, traveling to the hill country, and cheering on the fightin' Texas Aggies.

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