Conrad hooked on politics at early age

Above: Sen. Conrad shows off her catch with her parents, Stephanie and Don Nantkes.

Sen. Danielle Conrad traces her interest in politics back to her youth.

As a nine-year-old, she became enthralled in the Nebraska gubernatorial race. Kay Orr was running against Helen Boosalis in a historic campaign that captured the imagination of the little girl living in rural Seward County.

“I just scoured the papers and tried to read and learn as much as I could about them,” Conrad said of the candidates.

She even traveled to Boosalis’ campaign office in Lincoln to gather yard signs, which she quickly distributed along the country roads near her home.

“From that first campaign, I’ve been in love with politics,” Conrad said.

Her disappointment with the outcome of that race did nothing to quell her interest in politics. In fact, after the election, Conrad was shopping with her mother at Miller and Payne department store in Lincoln when she saw Boosalis a few aisles over.

“I was so star struck and probably speechless for the first and last time in my life,” Conrad said, laughing.

Her mother visited with Boosalis who soon agreed to come to Conrad’s country school in Staplehurst and talk about politics and current events with the children.

That began a lifelong friendship between Boosalis and Conrad. Recently, Conrad received a package of old correspondences between the two women. One letter from Conrad to Boosalis included a friendship bracelet and this note: “P.S. What do you think about crime?”

Conrad went on to graduate from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2003 and for the past five years has been working for the Nebraska Appleseed Center as a public policy attorney.

She has a strong interest in issues that affect working families.

“The law is really the great equalizer,” she said.

She attributes her strong sense of service to her parents, who have always been involved in the community. Her mother is a teacher and her father has been the deputy county sheriff for 25 years. Conrad particularly remembers her mother taking cereal boxes to school for children who hadn’t eaten breakfast.

Another thing she learned from her family is an affinity for outdoor activities, especially fishing.

“You get away from the cell phones and the Blackberries and everything and just enjoy the inherent beauty of our Nebraska landscape,” she said.

Although being a senator may cut down on her fishing trips, Conrad said it’s a tradeoff she’s very willing to make.

“I get up each day and I love my job,” she said.