 On learning of his intent, opponent Nitsch was bemused and impartial towards the prospect of a "young kid" competing against him for his incumbent position.Hayden was twenty-eight years old upon his entrance to the Legislative race, and to that point there had not been a successful campaign that got a person under the age of fifty elected.Hayden claimed that the primary was hard fought, but in the end, Hayden won by a mere 250 votes.