Spencer Swearingen was born and raised in Mist, Ore. He's a political ccience major at Portland Community College, and he says his progressive olitical beliefs come from parents.

The issues that rise to the top for Shanel Swan are health care and the economy. It took her more than a year to find her job as a service worker at Taco Bell. And as a mother of three, with another one on the way, health care is big for her. too.

An advocate for peace, Meryl Six's father fought in Vietnam and she experienced firsthand the effect was has on veterans.