26 Year Old Princella Smith for Congress in Arkansas

Anyone who has ever called the GOP the "party of old white guys" has obviously never met Princella Smith. Not only is she a proud member of the GOP, but she's young, she's black, and she's a woman. Oh, and she's running for Congress in Arkansas. So just who is this young woman who's taking the "Natural State" by storm? Here is a look at her short life leading up to her not-so-typical run for Congress.

Princella Smith has been public speaking since she was four years old and by the age of nine, she and her brothers were in high demand as keynote speakers at a number of church and education-based events, where they were often asked to recite Martin Luther King's entire "I Have a Dream" speech. But that's not all she did at a young age. Smith was involved in a number of academic and civic groups as a child. According to her website, she came in first place at two county spelling bees, won awards for writing, won quiz bowls, and was involved with Girl Scouts, Key Club, and Boys 2 Men/Girls 2 Women.

Smith attributes her success at such a young age to being raised in a small town with a strong foundation. She grew up in Wynne, Arkansas, raised by her father John Smith, a former school board vice president and the minister at Christian Fellowship Church and her mother Sandra Smith, the vice principal at Wynne High School.

In high school, she developed a passion for politics when she was sponsored by the Wynne chapter of the Women’s American Legion Auxiliary to attend Arkansas Girls State. There, she was elected out of about 900 girls as the 2001 Girls State Governor. That summer, she was awarded an internship with the state's Lt. Governor Win Rockefeller. During that internship, she was part of a life-changing moment. The Lt. Governor asked her to write a speech for him to give a college graduation. She did and he read it word for word, something he usually didn't do with his staff. Smith has said of that moment, "To see your billionaire, world-famous, Lt. Governor quote your words verbatim is overwhelming. Do you know what that does to a kid from the Delta?" In high school, Smith went on to letter in women's basketball, leading the team to its first state playoff appearance in years. She was elected to the Arkansas All-Star Basketball team, was her class president, and graduated with honors.

She went on to college at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, where she majored in political science and minored in communications and history, and played for the school's women's basketball team. She is also a graduate of the Buckley School of Public Speaking. Smith went on to take part in internships with former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, U.S. Congressman John Boozman of Arkansas, and served a clerkship at the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2004, she won a speech/essay contest sponsored by MTV called "Stand Up and Holla." That same year, she spoke at the Republican National Convention, just before First Lady Laura Bush addressed the nation.

In 2006, she served as the E-Campaign Director for then Maryland Lt. Governor and current Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. In that position, she managed all electronic communications for the campaign, including the official campaign website. She has also served as a Communications Director and as the National Spokesperson for American Solutions and has been a guest lecturer at the Leadership Institute, speaking on topics such as "New Media" and "Grassroots Activism." She is also a visiting fellow at the Independent Women's Forum and has worked as a political contributor for the following media outlets: FOX News, FOX Business News, CNN, CBS, MSNBC, BET, Bloomberg News, PBS, France 24, EuroAmerican News, Danish Broadcasting, NPR, the New York Times, USA Today, XM Satellite Radio, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Essence Magazine, YouTube News, XM Radio, AOL Radio/TV, Black America Web, RocktheVote.com, Huffington Post.

You can read more about what Smith stands for and why she's running for office at PrincellaSmith.com.

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Interview with Noelle Nikpour

Noelle Nikpour is a Republican Strategist and Consultant, who is often featured on television programs such as "Fox and Friends," "Red Eye," and "Good Day New York." We had a chance to ask the Arkansas native a few questions on everything from why the Republican Party is important to women's issues to why she thinks the GOP needs a makeover! Here's what she had to say:

Why did you decide to get involved with politics?
NN: I decided to get involved in politics because I wanted to make a difference and be a part of a greater good!

What do you think is the most important issue currently facing the country?
NN: The economy and its future is the most important issue at hand for this country. With unemployment at an all time high, foreclosures on the rise, and our dollar appearing weaker, we must address this and turn it around.

You say the GOP needs a new image - what do you think needs to be changed and how can it be accomplished?
NN: The GOP needs a new image by way of how we are viewed, especially by young adults and college Republicans. The Dems have done a great marketing job in order to capture these important groups. We need more young Republican role models that they can relate to and need to show more diversity in a "less sterile" environment.

How is the GOP important to women's issues and what can be done to help the party relate to women better?
NN: Be it a mom, a wife, a working woman, the GOP aligns with many women on such issues from anti abortion, lower taxes, and basic conservative values. As more moms and wives go into the work force to make ends meet, they begin to see the importance of why our party lobbies for less government and lower taxes and they can relate to it first hand!

Are there any women in politics (in or out of office) whom you admire?
NN: Sarah Palin is a woman to admire! Like her or not, she is the epitome of the modern day woman! She holds a job, is a mom, a wife, and takes care of herself. She wears many hats and must be Webster's definition of multitasking!

Would you ever run for office? If not, is there anyone you'd like to see run in the next few years?
NN: I would never seek to run for office due to the fact I'd rather be behind the scenes making it all work for a great man or woman who is willing to put it all on the line for public office. There are so many great candidates that would possibly consider a run for office and it will prove to be an exciting time for the GOP. With that said, I'd like to see a candidate that has strong experience in economics by way of education or experience! I mean, really, we need to see a proven "job history" on the next President we elect! I'm just sayin'...............

Big thanks to Noelle Nikpour for taking part in our interview! You can learn more about her at her website: Noelle Nikpour.