Rep. Sarah Elfreth joins Building the Bench to trace the path from her first experience testifying before lawmakers at nineteen to becoming the youngest woman ever elected to Maryland’s State Senate. She talks about learning politics from inside Steny Hoyer’s office as an intern, developing a reputation for preparation and follow-through, and how those habits shape her work now in Congress. Along the way, Elfreth gets into the issues she hears most often from her district like affordability and climate resilience and why she puts so much weight on the quiet, detailed work that actually helps people.
In this episode:
00:50 Ideal Sundays and small joys
03:50 “Sarah Explains It All” and making Congress understandable
07:20 Growing up between South Jersey and Philly
10:20 Testifying at nineteen and the voter-fraud accusation
14:20 Interning for Steny Hoyer and learning the Hill
17:50 Early mentors and building a strong team
20:50 The watershed bill that defined her work in Annapolis
24:50 Environmental policy and practical problem-solving
28:50 Affordability, housing, and economic pressure
33:50 Party debates and generational differences
37:50 Constituent work and solving individual problems
41:50 Advice for young leaders and knowing your North Star
🙌🏼 Thanks to Rep. Elfreth for a thoughtful, grounded conversation about public service, preparation, and the work that actually improves people’s lives. It was refreshing.
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