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Mexican-American astronaut now running for Congress

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    Jose Hernandez on 'Fox & Friends Weekend'

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As the son of a migrant worker an immigrant parents he pursued his dreams to launch himself and the space as one of the first.

Mexican American astronauts now is launching a career in politics.

Running for congress is a Democrat and California is also the author of of a new book reaching for the stars Jose Hernandez joins us this morning we did reach out to his opponents.

Current congressman Jeff Denham and Chad Condit running as an independent working there.

Book them on the show in the future good CEOs say things are being here Brit -- -- it's a fascinating story.

Everyone grows up.

And wants to be an astronaut.

Nobody grows up wanting to be in congress though the approval ratings are in the single digits maybe around 10% why do you want to go.

To congress.

Well I think it it it has to do with with how I left the value when -- went to become an astronaut.

You know I left in a 2004.

And conditions were pretty good in the -- when I came back in 2010 after had flown into space.

You know we were at the epicenter of the mortgage foreclosure crisis the valley was -- Stockton Modesto area.

Was unemployment more than twice the national rate yet no one was doing anything about it.

And so I figured now's the time for me to get involved and do something about it because.

What scared me the most were the parents were losing faith that their kids could reach the American dream.

And your own town of Stockton California and by the way the largest city in the US to file for bankruptcy protection.

One of their biggest problems is the money they owed a public employee unions that's their biggest creditor.

How does a Democrat come in and reach across and say we need to make some talks tough sacrifices.

To get this city back on track what.

Needs to be happening Encino my my platform is on four major issues and it's jobs jobs jobs and education.

We need to do things to create jobs to diversify the economy there in these central valley and bring high tech sector jobs from across Silicon Valley.

Instead of having them exported to China Korea or other countries.

And the book specifically for the most part stays out of politics it talks about your story -- a young man spending three months a year and and in California are -- in Mexico nine months in California back and forth different school districts.

It talks about the importance of education and a young person's life exactly and it wasn't until my second grade teacher mrs.

young came.

To our house and basically compared the -- kids that's for kids to my father in terms he could understand it's -- -- that your kids.

As trees what happens when you continuously transplant them.

You know based -- stunt their growth -- the -- roots never take place so you need to stay in one place nurtured the trees so that the roots he had a whole world -- And a tree grows big and strong and that's why we ended up making our our lives there near Stockton.

The other message I think it should resonate to everyone is one of perseverance you talk a lot about the fact that you apply to be an astronaut twelve times.

Why did you not give up.

Today it seems people give up so easily on their dreams and on their goals twelve times why.

Because I'm going because of the career I select that was consistent with one be an astronaut which is an engineer.

And the decisions I was and taking navigating my professional career.

To become a better candidate for an astronaut was helping my professional career as an engineer so the worst thing that could happen.

If I didn't get select that I would I had a heck of -- career as an engineer so I was doing the right things for the right reasons.

-- -- a journey and that's what I tell the kids that's most important.

Is still look at the that your final goal.

Make -- you -- enjoy the journey along the way and that certainly was a final question is how difficult is it for you now seeing.

Us hitching a ride with the Russians to space in the future than NASA program.

At that that you came to know it.

Is no longer how difficult is that for you it's tough to swallow Dave you know one of the things that -- -- -- make a commitment or is is -- be one of them.

Biggest fans of NASA when -- in congress and I want to make sure.

That the United States invest in science and technology in stem education science technology engineering and math.

Because that's what's gonna keep this country -- top tier nation Jose Hernandez the book is reaching for the stars thanks for being here we think it -- appreciate it.

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