Tricia Summers has been campaigning with her dad, Charlie, since he first ran for State Senate when she was six.

Now, at age 23, Tricia is campaigning for her dad while he is deployed in Iraq. Saturday she travelled around the Maine caucuses.

“Ever since the first time he ran, I’ve been running with him,” she said.

Summers is running for the First Congressional District. His wife, Ruth Summers, is running his campaign in his absence. Ruth also travelled the state Saturday.

The family expects Charlie home in the summer – just in time for the primaries.

Summers has served as the New England Regional Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, so he understands the needs of small business. He also ran his own redemption center, where Tricia said she helped sort cans from bottles when she was growing up.

In Congress, Tricia said, Charlie would want to make President Bush’s tax cuts permanent, get veterans more benefits and secure the American borders.

“The reason why my dad is the best possible choice is because he leads by example,” Tricia said. “He’s leading by example right now.”