Harvard divinity student, former teaching fellow and Democratic congressional candidate John J. Cranley yesterday told about 100 undergraduates--and a camera crew from MTV--that his youth can be a strength in his upcoming race.

Cranley, a 26-year-old 1999 graduate from Harvard Law School (HLS) is running for the House of Representatives from Ohio's first district, which includes Cincinnati.

Yesterday, he was a guest speaker in Governement 1352: "Campaigns and Elections," where he lectured about the life of an active and campaigning politician.

Cranley is the second youngest person running for U.S. Congress this year, where the minimum age requirement for office is 25.

Cranley was accompanied by a small crew from the MTV news show "True Life," which is following his campaign as part of a documentary on young politicians.

The documentary, which features several members of Generation X who are running for political office, will cover Cranley's candidacy until the election and will air sometime in the late fall or early winter.

Cranley said he had been attempting to contact MTV about covering his campaign when he learned that the show's producers had independently chosen to feature his campaign.

"That MTV documentary is definitely going to have an impact, as it is going to help us get grassroots support from young people," Cranley said yesterday. "In the end it may not matter that much, but it does make a difference."