Former Congressional candidate Rebecca Solen focusing on transition to woman, but not ruling out a run for Congress in future

"I do still feel like there's a role for me within politics," says former Paul Ryan opponent Rebecca Solen.

When she ran against the longtime Wisconsin Congressman, Solen was living as a man and going by the name Ryan.

Now she is transitioning with her wife and four children to life as a woman under the name Rebecca.

"Right now its focus on family and myself," Solen tells CBS 58 News Anchor/Reporter Michele McCormack in a one on one interview that aired unedited Tuesday on the CBS 58 News at 4.

Solen says she did not intend to come out when she did.

"I did not expect it to become so public so quickly. Some information got out into the press and because of that, I moved up my timeline."

She says she wasn't forced to come out, it just happened when she didn't plan for it, but she's also okay with it coming out when it did.

She welcomes the opportunity to share her experience to bring other transgender people out of isolation.

"I realized being who I am is very important. I have family friend and work support. It really helps. A lot of people don't have that and lose that chance to be who they are. I feel it's my work to speak on behalf of them. Having run last year, I want to make sure that platform is used for good."

Solen says she can recall as early as the age of 5, feeling as if things weren't right. 

She says the camaraderie drew her to military service where she rose up the ranks to Captain and served during the Iraq War.

"I wanted to serve. I wanted to contribute. But the one thing you can't escape who you are deep down. That always comes back."

She says she found great satisfaction in raising four children with her wife.

Her family is transitioning with her.

"I love my wife and kids and they support me in this. That's huge. As my wife first told me, she loves me for me. She fell in love with person not facade. So that made a big difference. You can be satisfied and still have that feeling in the back of your mind that something still is not 100 percent." 

Solen says she feels she has a better relationship with her wife and children because now, as Rebecca,  there's nothing standing in between you and the rest of the family."

You can watch more of our interview with Solen including her thoughts on being a Congresswoman one day by clicking here