Rugged. Unconventional. Passionate.

This week, I talked with 26-year-old Jake Jackson—a young American who is ready to put in the hard work required to preserve our Republic.Jake’s passion for limited government and individual liberty started early. Even as a kid, he noticed government attempting to dictate certain day-to-day aspects of life, and it never sat well with him. Some difficult years in middle school would ultimately help prepare him for the path he is on today: politics.And Jake isn’t stepping into politics to simply fall in line.He’s stepping into it to ask questions, challenge assumptions, hold politicians accountable, and encourage healthy debate—even when that means challenging people on his own side.We talk about the problems that arise when party loyalty becomes more important than constitutional principles, the “uniparty” mentality that can reward bullies and discourage dissent, and why Republicans shouldn’t automatically fall in line simply because their party has put something forward.Because, as I say often, our loyalty shouldn’t belong to a political party.It should belong to the Constitution—and to the principles that make our Republic worth defending.And there’s a pretty fitting family connection behind Jake’s passion for the fight. He has traced his ancestry back to John Sevier, a battle-tested Patriot who fought for American independence and went on to become Tennessee’s first governor.Turns out, those Patriot roots run pretty deep.This is what it looks like when a young American decides that being a citizen means more than simply casting a ballot every few years.You don’t have to be in the majority to make a difference. Sometimes, the most important work starts on the outside.Find Jake on Facebook and X.If you would like to sign his petition to ban Flock cameras in St. Charles you can do that here.Nadine@9’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Nadine@9’s Substack at nadineat9.substack.com/subscribe