The Political Divide Republicans focus on campaigning by Korene Gallegos
The Metropolitan
(Courtesy of Danielle Robinson / Special to The Metropolitan)
A cascade of red, white and blue balloons fall upon those gathered at
Madison Square Garden Thursday after President Bush’s acceptance
speech at the Republican National Convention. Metro student and Auraria
College Republican Danielle Robinson went to the convention as an alternate
delegate.
The 2004-05 academic year opens in debate and fair game for student voters,
as the Auraria College Republicans get ready for election day and new
political opposition.
With economic issues and the war in Iraq affecting the college generation,
there is greater emphasis on young voters. Jesse Samora, chairman of the
Auraria College Republicans, said politics are playing a larger role in
the lives of college students.
“They are not afraid of leadership,” Samora said. “Students
grow up, and do not vote with their parents.”
He said current events and the presidency also play a part in the younger
generation’s political interest.
“After 9/11 and the economic downturn after Clinton, they (students)
looked to (Bush) as a guiding light,” he said.
The Auraria College Republicans met last week for the first time this
semester and talked about their focus for this year.
“I want the College Republicans to be a force to be reckoned with,”
Samora said. “To be a well spoken connection.”
With two months remaining until Election Day, campaigning is the center
of attention.
“We’re plunging into the elections by working with President
Bush, (State Senator) Shawn Mitchell and Pete Coors,” Samora said.
“(We are doing this) by votes, volunteers, walking in parades, phone
banks, mailing and anything people can think of.”
One issue they may discuss is the topic of student funding.
At the Republican National Convention in New York last week, President
Bush announced his plan to place more funding into Pell grants for higher
education. According to the American Council on Education, one out of
four college students has a Pell Grant, which give students aid of up
to $4,000.
Danielle Robinson, a Metro student, active member of the College Republicans
and vice chair of the Colorado Federation of College Republicans, attended
the Republican National Convention as an alternate delegate.
“It (the experience) brought me a great respect to those who serve
in the government,” Robinson said.
She said she feels the media coverage of the protesters at the RNC was
a bit overblown.
“I didn’t see any coverage on CNN—or very little of—Republican
protestors trying to get in at the Democratic National Convention.”
Robinson said she’s a college republican, in part, because she’s
fed up with the other side.
“Why I came out as a Republican in my college years is because
I saw how great the Republican Party is for our country and I’m
so sick and tired of liberals attacking you if you don’t agree with
them,” she said. “On a college campus, if you speak out you
are more targeted for being conservative.”
She said she was raised in a Democratic family, but is now registered
as Republican along with her parents, who switched parties during the
last election.
“Students are more politically involved and don’t fall in
line with their parents’ politics,” she said. “My parents
supported me going to the convention,” she said. “They told
me it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
According to the College Republicans National Committee Herbicide, there
are at least 120,000 Republican students on 1,148 college campuses across
the United States.
The College Republicans have been a student organization since last fall
and now have well over 200 members, Samora said.
He said the group continues to grow.
“You can tell at a whole, at Auraria, Republicans are wanting to
get their voices heard and that colleges aren’t just a liberal environment,”
he said.
This year, two Democratic student organizations have taken shape, including
the Democrats of Auraria and the Auraria Young Democrats.
The two groups, along with the College Republicans, hope to provide education
to Metro students on the policies and candidates.
Samora said he likes having the Democratic groups on campus because now
a real political discussion can start.
“It affects us as having a legitimate group/opponent to debate,”
Samora said. “It’s a way for people to have their voices heard.”
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