December 2, 2013

From Cornell to Congressional Run: Shinagawa ’05 Reflects on Lessons Learned

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By MEI XIN LUO

Tompkins County Legislator Nate Shinagawa ’05 M.A. ’09 spoke about the lessons he learned from his journey as a Cornell undergraduate to a congressional candidate to an audience of more than 150 people Monday.

One lesson Shinagawa recalled was the need to act unconventionally to be successful. Shinagawa pointed to his own experience as the underdog in his congressional race in 2012, when he had limited monetary funds as compared to his opponent, incumbent Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y. 23). Unlike Reed, Shinagawa could not afford to use conventional campaigning methods such as mass distribution of flyers and extensive television publicity, he said.

Photo: Riley Yuan / Sun Staff PhotographerTompkins County Legislator Nate Shinagawa ’05 M.A. ’09 speaks in Bailey Hall Monday about his experience running for Congress in 2012.