Thank You to the Newspapers
that have covered my campaign


 

Lots of little boys and girls dream of someday being president. But none are more serious than Brandon’s Troy Small who has announced his intentions to be a candidate for the office 26 years from now in 2032. The brown-haired boy who sports a pair of wire rim glasses is adamant about achieving his dream, and it’s a desire the soon-to-be 10-year-old has had since he was just three years old.

“I plan on being president because I think I can do a lot to help,” he said. “I want to stop clumsy, cowardly gladiators like Hitler.” Troy’s opening remarks surprise his dad, John Small. “Comments of the son do not necessarily reflect those of the parents,” he said.

When elected in 2032, Troy Small has outlined six promises he pledges to keep:
• I will make America a better place to live.
• I will save our country from bad guys.
• I will get jobs for people that don’t have one.
• I will take care of our grandmas and grandpas.
• I will make sure that kids get a good school.
• I will take the guns from the bad people.

Troy’s early ambitions come as no surprise to his mom, Heidi Small. “He went from ‘coo’ to speaking complete sentences,” she said, adding that the youngster taught himself to read at age three.
“I just sounded it out and just read it,” Troy said.

The Smalls, who relocated from Nebraska to Brandon this summer, knew they had to find a school that would challenge their advanced learner. “As a third grader, he was doing sixth grade work,” his mother said. The Smalls heard lots of good things about the Brandon Valley School District, and so far they haven’t been disappointed. “He’s able to be in his class and doing work that’s still challenging him, so we’re very, very pleased,” she said. “It’s all about the best education he can get.”

Earlier this month, Troy entered his first “political” race, as he sought election to the Robert Bennis Elementary student council, setting his sights on the office of vice president. Much to Troy’s delight, he won and refers to the election as a “popularity contest.”

“I hardly campaigned at all because I was too busy playing,” he said. “I guess my speech did it all.”

In his campaign speech he gave to the entire student body, Troy didn’t make any promises he couldn’t keep. “I’m not going to stand here and tell you we’ll have longer lunch hours, ban homework and have more recess time,” he said. “I ran an honest campaign with realistic goals.”

Instead, Troy pledged to listen to the concerns of his fellow students and to work closely with them, the teachers and administrators to address those concerns.

Troy Small is a pint-sized wealth of knowledge, especially concerning the U.S. presidents, and he’s not shy about sharing that wealth. “You must be at least 35, be born in the U.S and have lived here for 11 years,” he said.

To date, he only meets one of these three requirements. In 26 years, he’ll be 35 years old and in less than two years, he’ll have lived in the U.S. for 11 years.

John Small remembers the day his son, who should have been more interested in the Sesame Street characters at age three than a book on the U.S. Presidents, became intrigued by the subject.

The youngster absorbed nearly every word and fact that his dad read to him. “John Adams was our second president and he was the first one to live in the White House,” the youngster said.

He also knows that William H. Taft, who held office from 1909 through 1913, was so large that he became stuck in the bathtub. The single-person tub was replaced with a four-man tub, he said.

“Theodore Roosevelt’s kid had lots of pets,” he said, listing two gophers, five dogs and a horse named, Butterscotch.
He knows that Ronald Reagan’s favorite candy was coconut-flavored Jelly Belly jellybeans. “Ronald Reagan always brought a jar of jellybeans. They couldn’t make any decisions without passing them around.”

And who knew which U.S. President went skinny-dipping in the Potomac?

It’s likely not many kids or adults for that matter do, but Troy does. “John Quincy Adams,” he proudly announces.
But before that bit of trivia could be lodged into his memory, he needed to know the meaning of skinny-dipping. With a shrug and a sigh, John Small explained the concept to his young son.

At age five, Troy Small traded in a day at Disneyland for a visit to the Nixon Library.

“Our hotel was right across the street from Disneyland,” John Small recalls, “and we could see it from our hotel room. It even looked like a lot of fun to me.”

But after Troy picked up a brochure on the Nixon Library, he convinced his parents to change their amusement park plans.

“We were one of the first people through the doors that morning and they had to kick us out at closing time,” said Heidi Small.

The Small’s visit to the Nixon Library was a memorable one. “Troy was at the height of his presidential interest,” his father said. “The tour guide was talking about vice presidents and asked Troy about when Kennedy was shot and Johnson became president, who became vice president.”

Without hesitation, Troy told the tour guide, “Nobody.”

The tour guide and Troy debated his response, and after some time, the Nixon Library staffer had to admit his defeat, as the five-year-old’s answer was correct.

On a separate trip to a museum in Omaha, Neb., the future politician proved the professionals wrong once again. While peeking into the windows of a model of the White House, Troy pointed out the china on the dining room table was the pattern used by the Reagan family and not the Kennedy family as the information read.

Troy Small is so focused on his quest for the presidency that he’s already set up a Web site, www.votesmall.com, which sports his campaign slogan, “Think big. Vote Small in 2032.”

The president’s $400,000 annual paycheck intrigues Troy Small. “That could get you into Disneyland for 11 years straight,” he said. He also pledges to hand out lollipops. “That’s going to make a lot of people happy, and $400,000 can buy you lots of lollipops.”

Jill Meier / Brandon Valley Challenger
Troy Small is a walking 9-year-old wealth of U.S. presidential trivia knowledge. The Robert Bennis Elementary fourth grader has his sights set on being elected president of the United States in 2032. One of his prized presidential possessions is this George W. Bush-in-the-box.

Six-year-old sets sites on U.S. presidency
(Norfolk-AP) -- Six-year-old Troy Small is a pint-sized politician who has been on the campaign trail since the tender age of three. That's when he discovered his father reading a presidential trivia book. Dad John Small recalls Troy asking about the book. A few answers later, and Troy was hooked. What followed were a series of presidential requests from the tyke. They included a trip to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in Iowa, and a visit to the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in California instead of Disneyland. His request for a Mount Rushmore-shaped bed never came to fruition. But he did get a replica of Abraham Lincoln's box at Ford's Theatre. It's a bunk bed draped with scalloped American flags and covered in patriotic pillows. 
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) AP-NY-11-08-03 1337EST

Ambitious 6-year-old sets sites on U.S. presidency
(Norfolk-AP) -- Troy Small has been stumping three years for the U-S presidency. Only 29 more to go. The six-year-old does more than talk of one day being president. He has the power suit, flag-bearing business cards and a campaign Web site. Troy's stumping has NOT gone unnoticed. He appeared on C-N-N last week. This week, he is scheduled to appear on a C-B-S morning show and fly to New York for another talk show appearance. Troy calls the trip his -- quote -- "life's dream." The boy even has a classmate who's volunteered to be his first lady. Troy says he is looking forward to his presidential prerogatives after a big win in 2032. Among them is the chance to look at a one-thousand-dollar bill, have a butler take care of chores and eat his dessert first.
On the Net: Troy Small campaign site: http://www.votesmall.com
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) AP-NY-11-08-03 1333EST

Thanks for running the AP story!

Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2004

DARIN EPPERLY/DAILY NEWS IT SHOULD COME as no surprise that 7-year­old Troy Small of Norfolk has an American flag in his room. After all, the youngster already has his eye on the presidency.

Bush or Kerry? Norfolk boy
keeps tabs on presidential race

 By JENNA JOHNSON
News Staff Writer
John Kerry will not be getting Troy Small's vote. But then again -- Troy doesn't have a vote. Although the 7-year-old Norfolkan has been following the election closer than most adults and has formed an opinion of Kerry that is more sour than a mouthful of not-quite-ripe green grapes, his voice will not officially be heard for a few more elections.

But that minor detail has not stopped Troy from religiously watching CNN, poring over newspapers and magazines, discussing politics with his second­grade buddies and selecting Rush Limbaugh as his personal hero.

Pretty much anything associated with the word "president" grabs Troy's attention -- especially since he began his campaign for the 2032 presidency last year.

Troy, the son of John and Heidi Small of Norfolk, has business cards, a wardrobe covered with presidential seals, a repertoire of political jargon, a professional Web site and an ego larger than the state of Ohio. In other words, all the junior politician needs now are a few more years under his belt, maybe even a voting record.

Despite his conservative ideas, the wannabe chief executive swears he is an Independent. Of course, he does have 28 years until he has to formally decide.

The small tyke's big goal has garnered him local and national attention and a refined opinion of what makes a good president.

"A good president has to be strong and take a stand," Troy said. "(John) Kerry's a little bit on the wild side, if you know what I mean."

Although Troy is informed on basic party platforms, he formulated his opinion on more important details -- like how Bush has a "lovely" speaking voice and how Kerry was sweating during his speech at the Democratic National Convention in July.

"Bush is nice, he's got a good voice, he's got looks and talent -- just like me," Troy said. "It is true, Kerry is a bad person."

Troy's parents said they hope watching the upcoming Republican National Convention will be less stressful for their budding politician.

"You should have seen him during those Democratic convention speeches," his mother said. "He was pacing back and forth and yelling at the TV."

Even though Troy could have burst a blood vessel or formed an ulcer while watching the convention, his parents don't try to suppress his political passion. If anything, they encourage his ambition by booking him speaking appointments, keeping his Web site up to date and arranging meetings with real politicians.

Despite his love for President Bush, young Troy has a soft spot in his heart for John Edwards -- Kerry's vice presidential candidate.

"John Edwards is a perfect person," Troy said.

But Troy said he is worried that if Edwards starts hanging out with Kerry, he might become just like the Massachusetts senator -- he might even start sweating during speeches.

Troy is not a big fan of people who do not vote -- he even threatens to pop their tires if they do not show up to the polls.

"It is important to vote," Troy said. "People who vote get to elect the president."

And, oh, how Troy wishes he was one of those voters. If elected in 2032, Troy promises that his first presidential action will be lowering the voting age to 6 years old.

"It is grossly unfair for 7-year-olds to not vote," Troy said, displaying his well-rehearsed disgusted politician face. "When I am president, I will turn on the light . . . and let them vote."

from October 28th, 2003

Forget 2004 presidential race:
6-year-old looking toward 2032

 By STACY WEGENER
News Staff Writer

When it comes to announcing his candidacy for president of the United States, there's no holding back for Troy Small. No matter that he's only 6. He'll be old enough by 2032. The aspiring politician is already handing out his business cards and asking potential voters to check out his Web site. Troy even has a campaign speech. "Clean up America! No more dirty cars. No more dirty windows. No more throwing bricks at neighbors' windows," he says with the powerful voice of conviction. His parents, John and Heidi of Norfolk, just laugh. "We're still working on this," John says.

Troy's interest in the nation's presidents began three years ago at age 3. At the time, his father had been reading a book about presidents. "He was pretty fascinated with it so we 'fueled the fire,' " John Small said. Troy could name every president in order before he was even in kindergarten. But his interest in being the nation's leader goes much further than that. On a family vacation, he convinced his family to skip Disneyland and visit the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library instead. "He saw a flier for the Nixon Library and he wanted nothing to do with Disneyland," Mrs. Small said.

Last summer at the LaVitsef Time festival in Norfolk, Troy saw politicians handing out business cards. He knew he needed some of those. He also visited the White House's Web site. He received business cards as a Christmas present last year. Most of his other gifts came from the White House site. Troy's hoping for a "power suit" this Christmas -- a blue suit with a red tie. Besides a fascination with the presidents, Troy has a way of retaining what he reads as well. This May he was in Omaha and met President Bush. While there, he visited a 60-foot touring replica of the White House. On the way there, he and his parents walked past an exhibit of presidential china. But that didn't interest Troy. Once inside, however, he noticed something interesting. A sign on the table said the china was a typical place setting during the Kennedy administration. "Troy just kind of looks and goes, 'Oh, they got the wrong plates,' " his father said. Sure enough. The plates were from the Reagan administration. Troy wanted to set the record straight. Someone with the exhibit told him that sometimes presidents used the former administration's china. Nothing gets past this 6-year-old."How could Kennedy have used Reagan's plates?" Troy said, throwing his head back and laughing.

Troy also does some impersonations. Of presidential sayings, of course, like Nixon's "I am not a crook" and George Bush's "Read my lips. No new taxes." He's also has John F. Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you" speech down -- complete with accent. He listens to the news now and then to keep up on the current state of affairs. His parents said Troy's interest in 

presidents is not as high as it once was. Now that he's in school, there are other things to work on besides presidents. He's into sharks and recently learned about the human digestive system. But that doesn't stop him from campaigning when he can. "You ought to go out to eat with him 

sometime," John Small said. Now and then, small crowds form around Troy as he enlivens a crowd with his insight and knowledge. Employees at one local business patronized by the Smalls often ask Troy if the president would like his usual table. Troy has also received e-mails from all over the country asking for his business cards, his mother said. She's more than happy to indulge Troy's passion. "If you don't make them think they can do anything, they never will," she said. "Think big, vote Small," Troy said.

Want to learn more? Troy Small's Web site is located at www.votesmall.com. His e-mail address is votesmall@hotmail.com.