Decision 2002
Campus groups push for support
The Young Democrats and College Republicans are working to increase voter participation and awareness on campus.
By Antoinette Vega
Staff Reporter

As candidates move across the state to spread their political messages, student organizations are doing the same on campus before today’s general election.

Fighting for the Senate in tight races from Colorado to New England, Republicans are counting on voters worried about the nation’s security while Democrats are seeking support from people concerned by a faltering economy.

While candidates are discussing political issues, the organizations — the Young Democrats and the College Republicans — coordinated efforts with a representative from MTV’s Rock the Vote setting up tables in the Student Center to distribute voting information.

Michael Farris, president of the Young Democrats, said the organization sponsored a voting drive with gubernatorial candidate Tony Sanchez’s daughter, Anna Lee Sanchez, and now is encouraging students to do their part and vote.

“Voting is one of the most important rights someone can have,” said Farris, a senior speech communication major. “Someone’s vote goes a long way to change the government.”

Jenny Stutheit, president of the College Republicans, said the organization has had a table set up for a week, actively trying to increase student participation on campus.
Stutheit, a junior education major, said the College Republicans presence in the Student Center reminds students the importance of casting their vote.

“Since we will be the ones leading in the future, we need to let our voice be heard now through voting,” she said. “It is easy to get distracted and forget about the issues happening outside of campus.”

The College Republicans are scheduling speakers for their meetings and plan to ask victory representatives to be involved, she said.

Despite the two parties’ efforts, there appears to be no national issue in Tuesday’s election that will decide control of a Senate now evenly split.

Sunday, a poll in The Dallas Morning News showed Republican John Cornyn with a nine-point lead. The poll that had a three-point margin of error, meaning Cornyn’s lead over Democrat Ron Kirk could be as large as 12 points or as small as six. The Houston Chronicle reported that Cornyn was up by six points with nearly a four-point margin of error.

Both candidates concentrated on the eastern half of the state Monday. Austin, Dallas, Houston, Nacogdoches, San Antonio, Texarkana, Tyler and Waco were on Kirk’s itinerary, while Cornyn’s schedule included Houston, San Antonio, Temple and the Austin suburb of Cedar Park.

Cornyn appeared with Gov. Rick Perry and lieutenant governor hopeful David Dewhurst Monday morning at a GOP rally in a Cedar Park warehouse. With wife Sandra by his side, Cornyn appealed to about 150 Republican supporters to choose him to end what he called dysfunctional leadership in the Senate.

“We need to change things in the U.S Senate, and if you send me there, we will,” he said to cheering supporters.

a.c.vega@tcu.edu

This report contains material from The Associated Press.