WASHINGTON (WANE) -- Damien Stafford admits that he was a bit of a bully during his days at Columbia City High School. But he never picked on classmate Jim Banks. "He was one of those people I never bothered," confessed Stafford. "I think it's because he just had this aura. Some people are born leaders." Both men went to the military and became politically active. Stafford is the Whitley County Republican Party Secretary. Banks, of course, became a United States Senator on Friday. "Less than one percent of people join the military," said Stafford. "Less than one percent of people know things that the other 99 percent don't. Those are the people that are going to be our fighters." "Fighter" was how Banks branded himself during most of his Senate campaign. It's a bit at odds with the more traditional description of the upper house of Congress, where terms such as "deliberative" and (at times) "congenial" are more common. Indiana's last Democratic U.S. Senator, Joe Donnelly, told WANE 15 that a Senator should have core values and remember they will have to work with 99 other people to get things done. "We can usually get 70 percent of something or 100 percent of nothing," laughed Donnelly. "I was always on the '70 percent of something' plan, although everybody wasn't." Stutzman returns ‘small town values’ to Congress Donnelly said he worked with then-Congressman Banks on a number of defense projects, including efforts to ensure the future of Fort Wayne's 122nd Fighter Wing Air Base. Donnelly also thought Banks could help continue the economic growth started by President Joe Biden. "We have the opportunity for a really good economic run, and Senator Banks, with his connection to the Trump administration, can be a big part of that." Mike Wolf, Chair and Professor of Political Science at Purdue Fort Wayne, said he will be watching how Banks interacts with Indiana's senior senator, Todd Young, a fellow Republican. "They could do a lot of really good things, particularly working together," said Wolf. "They're not necessarily from the same wing of the party, but I think they are both well-respected in Washington. "There's a lot of promise, from the Republican standpoint, for the state of Indiana, for those two to get in league and push forward on things."