Samara A. Barend has long flirted with politics.

These days she studies it at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG), but come November she may win the chance to live politics as the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress.

The only thing that stands in the way of this 26-year-old jeans-clad Democratic dynamo is the decision of another politician with a Harvard connection.

Nine-term U.S. Representative Amo Houghton ’50, R-N.Y., will announce in early April whether or not he will run again for the seat in New York’s 29th Congressional District.

Barend has worked with Houghton—who hails from the Harvard family for which Houghton Library is named—on economic development in the 29th district and says she has a lot of respect for him.

“I’ve been urged to consider this possibility by Republicans and Democrats—and Independents—folks from all parties,” said Barend. “I would not be running in the event that Houghton runs again.”

These faces of Harvard past and present came to know each other in 1998 while working on an economic development project for their “Southern Tier” region of Upstate New York, which converted New York’s Route 17 into Interstate 86—a project of which Barend is fiercely proud.

“I have worked hard to bring economic development into this region,” says Barend. “My father was a small business owner in upstate New York. He was forced to retire and I felt it incumbent upon myself to get involved.”

This type of development would be central to her platform, should she decide to run, and the I-86 project involved a helpng hand from Houghton.

“He fought very hard to save the district—he’s very invested in the area. He’s made a tremendous contribution,” says Barend. “He’s been very receptive.”

“Sam and Houghton have a good relationship,” says Denise W. King, vice chair of the New York Democratic Committee.

REPUBLICAN BEDFELLOWS

In 2000, Barend worked as the statewide Neighborhood Program Director for the campaign of Sen. Hillary R. Clinton, D-N.Y.

She has supported Sen. John F. Kerry’s campaign for president since the Democrat first announced his candidacy. And if she runs, it will be as a Democrat.

But despite her strong Democratic credentials, the charismatic Barend still manages to draw support from Republicans.