For Kristin Hedger, rebounding from a defeat at the polls in November is comparable to one of her favorite pastimes: horseback riding.
"It's like you were bucked off," she said in a recent interview, sporting a lopsided, but confident smile. The light-hearted expression seemed to grow harder and the wandering gaze grew intense as she continued.
Russia "That was my motto, 'hang on tight and spur hard.' If you get bucked off, track down your horse and get back on."
The 26-year-old Democrat talked about her plans of dusting herself off and riding into the future less than a month after being defeated by one of the state's longest-serving public officials, Republican Al Jaeger. Jaeger defeated Hedger 54 percent to 46 percent in the secretary of state's race.
Jaeger said during the election he focused on presenting the people of North Dakota his office's accomplishments, and describing plans for the future. Jaeger was first elected as the state's top elections official in 1993.
"My concentration was on my own campaign, not my opponent's," he said. "She had an aggressive campaign, and I'm pleased that the people of North Dakota returned me to office."
Hedger said she's stayed busy in the weeks following the election thanking her volunteer staff and supporters. Her plans beyond that include helping young political upstarts, possibly teaching at a state or tribal college and working at the family business - Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing.
"I'm committed to working with my family business," she said of a job that gives her all kinds of freedom. She can work on her laptop computer from anywhere that offers Internet access.
Former director of the state Democratic Party Jim Fuglie said he hopes these plans don't keep her from running for public office in the future.
"She's a bright young star in our party, and I hope she is back on the block one day," he said. "I think she has all the skills to win. She's smart and aggressive and understands the issues facing North Dakota."
According to Fuglie, some of the state's political leaders, including Rep. Earl Pomeroy and Heidi Heitkamp, weren't elected their first time around.
"My sense is she learned a lot running a statewide race. That's an experience a lot of young people don't get," he said. "I think she'll put what she learned in the campaign to work for her in her life. As long as she views this as a learning experience, this is a real positive, whether she won or not."
Hedger said handbags-o she's not ruling out the possibility of vying for another position someday, but she hasn't set her eye on anything yet.
For now, she's content putting her experience to use instructing political hopefuls under the age of 30 from either party. She's already started revamping her "Go Hedger" Web site to include tips on how beginners can deal with the media, hold press conferences, raise campaign funds and organize and attract volunteers.
"I've got so much energy, vision and passion," she said. "I just love our state, and we could make it better."
Hedger's work ethic and determination was forged growing up among the work-until-you-drop and never-give-up attitudes of the farmers and ranchers in the Killdeer Mountain area. The western North Dakota cowboys tutored her with their own brand of rough education.
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