Topeka ? Editor’s note: Mike Penner, a fellow of the of the Citizen Journalism Academy, sat down last week with U.S. Rep.-elect Nancy Boyda. Here are excerpts of his interview. A video interview can be found within this story, where footage of Boyda preparing for Washington can be seen.

Two blocks west of the state Capitol in Topeka, part of the historic Gem Building is being transformed into a congressional office.

Its occupant will be Topeka resident Nancy Boyda, who on Nov. 7 defeated U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun, of Lawrence, for the 2nd Congressional District seat – after losing the same race in 2004. She will be sworn in on Jan. 4.

Q: What were the factors that turned your eye to the political arena? For instance, did you always want to be a politician?

A: A lot of people said, “You did a really great job (in 2004),” but I was not happy with the campaign. I think it didn’t connect with the voters, didn’t really say what was on my heart and what I wanted to talk about.

The (2004) campaign was run out of Washington, D.C. – but (it wasn’t about) what I felt and the passion that I felt. I think voters sense authenticity a mile away and they sense inauthenticity a mile away.

The reason that I thought we had a good chance to win was because the wind had changed so much in the country and in Kansas. The 2nd District was 20 rural counties out of 26. We have not benefited from this global economy.

The voters were very much in a different place to hear things this time – their health care, their jobs. Things are just getting harder and harder for them.

So when we decided to run again, this time people could hear what was on my heart and Steve’s (her husband) heart and not have that come from Washington, D.C.

Q: You just returned from orientation in Washington. Tell us about that.

A: It’s been absolutely fascinating. I was surprised that there was really three weeks of orientation – and two weeks of it was bipartisan. Just literally getting your office selected and set up, going through and making sure that the computer equipment is available, hiring core staff.

I’m a deeply moral and ethical person, but you’ve really got to learn these ethics rules because some things you wouldn’t assume would be a problem you can’t do. For instance, if you’re doing something on behalf of your constituents late at night and some well-meaning person sends in a pizza, you can offer to pay for it or not accept it. I think that’s just a reflection of how much corruption has really happened.

My concern is that declining pizza isn’t going to really make a big dent in the corruption. What we really need to be looking at is how money affects elections in big ways.

Q: What did you change in the 2006 election campaign that you think vaulted you past Congressman Ryun?

A: Well, I never used the words “culture of corruption.” They annoyed me and I figured they annoyed everyone else. But the fact is, people were so concerned about what was going on in Washington on both sides of the aisle. For the most part, everybody recognized that the Republican side of the aisle had taken it to a new all-time high and had institutionalized a bunch of corruption – and it wasn’t just here and there. So that worked in our favor.

The war in Iraq was on everyone’s mind. People were deeply concerned about how we’re going to do anything to make anything better in Iraq since it has gotten so bad.

Much more than Washington would give them credit for, the voters and the people were already way past where Washington was on many issues. They’re way past Washington on immigration. They’re past Washington on health care.

What we did say was: “We’re right where you are. The reason I’m running is that I’ve got the same concerns that you do and we have to do something about it.”

Jim Ryun had done a very poor job of constituency service, and that was well-understood by most people. We never made a political campaign issue of it because he had helped a certain number of people and so if we had made a big issue out of it, he would have trotted each one of those persons across the TV, and (they would have) said, “She’s just such a horrible person, and here’s what he’s done to help me.”

But the fact is, people gave him extremely low marks on constituent service.

We want to make sure that people have a direct communication and direct line of communication with their congressperson when they’re trying to get things that they need through all the red tape in Washington. We’re here to help that, but we also want to be right here to listen on both sides of issues. I’m hoping that when I do run for re-election in 2008 that we get high marks for our constituent service.

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, a Topeka Democrat, says her orientation at Capitol Hill was fascinating. Boyda spoke Sunday with Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton in Pittsburg.

Q: Because a representative serves for two years, it seems as if you would have to campaign almost continuously to be re-elected. If that’s the case, how do you balance that with the necessity of governing?

A: Well, during the campaign I wondered how anybody could do this every two years. I’d give anything if it were four years – first because it would be easier on me. But now I understand why our founders did it this way. You are totally right there with people. You have to stay connected with people from day one.

So I recognize why they did it more now that I’m in office. I’m going to be out working to help people get their problems solved and I want to hear what’s on their mind with regard to issues on both sides. I think the campaign will not be a whole lot different until deep into the election cycle.

Q: Will being a female representative be a plus or minus factor in your tenure?

A: What Kansans want more than anything is just practicality – common sense. People tend to know that a woman who has raised her family and managed and multitasked over and over for years is able to get things done.

So I don’t know whether it helped or not, but I don’t feel like it hurt.

Q: Looking at the map of the 2nd District, you not only represent K-State but also the western half of KU. How are you going to represent both of them at the same time?

A: (Laughs) How can I do that? I showed the good common sense to marry a man who graduated from both universities. It’s just another example of my good common sense to marry this man right here. Steve’s undergraduate and master’s (degrees) were from K-State and law degree from KU.

So we are not a house divided – we are a house united.

– Mike Penner is a fellow of the Citizen Journalism Academy sponsored by The World Company and the Kansas University School of Journalism.