She’s already juggling school and raising a five-year-old daughter. Now Miranda Norman is adding campaigning for Oklahoma State House of Representatives to her schedule.

Norman, public administration junior, is running against incumbent Rep. Scott Martin, R-Norman, as a Democrat in District 46, which includes west Norman.

Norman said she is running for representative because she wants to be in a position to invoke change.

Some issues her campaign addresses include improving schools, roads and bridges, benefits for veterans and college affordability, according to her Web site, www.mirandanorman.com.

Right now, Norman is campaigning by going door to door.

“It’s going to be a lot of footwork,” Norman said, “Walking around, talking to voters, listening.”

Grant McLoughlin, political science sophomore and Young Democrats president, said he thinks Norman is passionate about issues like college affordability and health care for children and single parents because she can understand.

McLoughlin believes she can relate because she is a single mother going to OU.

Norman said she doesn’t feel different from other 26-year-olds.

“I feel like a regular soccer mom,” she said.

Norman is focusing on talking to voters.

“We have been out knocking [on] doors and talking to voters around the district about what it is that they want from their representative at the State Capitol,” said Rebecca Burgin, Norman’s campaign manager and friend.

Norman, who came to OU after she graduated high school, was deployed in February of 2004 and spent six months on active duty in Iraq in the National Guard.

She said she does not agree with the war in Iraq, but felt it was her duty to serve.

“It was hard being away, but I had signed up knowing this was a possibility,” Norman said.

After returning to Oklahoma, Norman enrolled in classes at Oklahoma City Community College for two semesters. She returned to OU last spring.

Norman is the senior advisor to votevets.org, an organization dedicated to electing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan into public office. She is also the caucus chair for the Young Democrats of Oklahoma State Veteran’s Caucus and the secretary for the Oklahoma Democratic Party Veterans’ Committee.

Norman said she is tired a lot, but when she feels overwhelmed she said she reminds herself of her passion to serve Oklahomans and her platform such as lowering taxes for the middle class and protecting veterans.

“She’s very driven,” said McLoughlin, who met Norman through Young Democrats. “She stays focused and doesn’t squander time.”

Burgin, a public health and public administration graduate student, also praised Norman’s drive.

“I do not know many people that would take on all of those things and keep up with them,” Burgin said in an e-mail, “But Miranda is extremely driven and hardworking, which helps her juggle all of those things and still have a smile on her face everyday.”

Norman said, although campaigning and school are important to her, her daughter is her first priority.

“I want to make sure my daughter’s life stays normal through all this,” she said.

McLoughlin said he knows Norman is facing many challenges, but he thinks she can handle them.

“She’s fighting against an incumbent, but she’s fought a lot of uphill battles in her life,” McLoughlin said.