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Victory Sinks In For 22-Year-Old Mayor-Elect Of Holyoke

HOLYOKE (CBS) - Victory is soaking in for the man who's now the state's youngest mayor.

Alex Morse is 22 and just out of college. "I decided about a year and half ago and did some soul searching and decided that I was ready for this position," he says.

He beat out the incumbent, with deep roots in town - by a sizable margin. Mayor-elect Morse announced he was running in January when he was a senior at Brown University.

WBZ-TV's Diana Perez reports

And he says it was his unique approach to campaigning that made the difference, "We had really substantive conversations with people in their living rooms and kitchens, at their door steps and I was the only candidate that people could say he came to my door he asked for my vote."

But at just 22 years old, how much experience does Morse have to effect real change especially in a place like Holyoke? There are 40,000 people living there. Well we spoke to some of them and they say his age is precisely why they want him in office.

"I like to think of it as he has a clean slate," says 23 year old Dionisio Gerena.

Steve Szewczyk says, "I can understand why some people would be turned off by his youth and inexperience but I've heard him speak about the issues and he's really impressive and he seems to have a good handle on the issues."

"I don't owe anyone a favor, I haven't been around long enough," says Morse.

His focus will be improving education and public safety and bringing in business.

"He gets to give actually a dream for young people who see the city as potential," says Gerena.

Making Morse a young face with a fresh take on some of the same old issues.

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