LEWISTON – Luke Jensen, 17, is a politically active Republican, even though he can’t vote.

Jensen volunteers at the Lewiston Republican headquarters, something he’s done for four years. He’s a member of the Republican Club at Lewiston High School. He’s also president of Lewiston’s senior class.

He’s an active John McCain supporter and talks about the candidate when the chance arises.

Democrat Barack Obama lacks experience, while McCain is experienced, Jensen said. He believes McCain is a moderate, someone who connects with the average American and represents what most Americans believe.

Jensen said he’s impressed by McCain’s commitment to the country, not only for his military service and being a war hero, but for his years in Congress.

And vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is “getting a lot more crap than she deserves,” according to Jensen. The media is distorting Palin interviews and throwing biased questions, while Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden gets a pass. “He’ll say that jobs is a three-letter word and FDR was president in 1929.”

Jensen doesn’t agree with all of Palin’s social stances, but he likes that she has executive experience and that she’s gone up against her own party in Alaska. “She really butts the system and will bring change to Washington.”

Jensen believes the United States should not have gone to war with Iraq, but at the time McCain was right to vote for it. “The evidence was Saddam Hussein was committing genocide on his people and threatening others and was a danger to the world.”

Jensen pointed out that Obama accepted the endorsement of President Bush’s former secretary of state, Colin Powell, “who sold the war to the people.”

Jensen said he trusts McCain “completely” on handling Iraq. “He was right on the troop surge which Obama won’t even admit has worked. He’s got the military experience.”

At school Jensen talks politics in classes when the topic comes up, as it did recently in physics. “It’s a big election. A lot of people know a lot of stuff about it.”

Most students at Lewiston High School lean Democratic but are respectful of his views, Jensen said.

With his parents, things can get interesting. His stepfather is a moderate Republican like him, Jensen said, adding that his mother is a liberal who calls herself a moderate. And his father is “an extreme liberal,” a delegate for Obama at the state convention.

“I’m always debating with my dad,” Jensen said.