Read our blog, Election '08, for dispatches from New York, Virginia, and Chicago in the countdown to November 4! You can find it at http://specblogs.com/chicago/.
As one of history’s most contentious presidential races nears the homestretch, Columbia students on both sides of the aisle are cementing their weekend plans and gearing up for a final push for victory.
Columbia’s three major political organizations—Columbia Political Union, Columbia University College Democrats, and Columbia University College Republicans—are assuming various levels of involvement this weekend as the clock counts down to Nov. 4.
For many CU Dems, the weekend will be devoted to campaigning in Virginia’s 10th congressional district. In addition to encouraging residents to head to the polls, they will be canvassing and phone banking on behalf of presidential candidate Barack Obama (D-Ill.), CC ’83, as well as Mark Warner, who is running as a candidate for a Virginia Senate seat, and the district’s congressional candidate, Judy Feder.
CU Dems not participating in the Virginia trip will be campaigning in Ohio, while others will be heading to Dartmouth College and staying with their organization’s counterparts. Those staying in New York plan to campaign in Queens for state Senate candidate Joseph Addabbo.
“Our main focus for the weekend is to tie Mark Warner to Obama and Feder,” College Democrat activist Jenna Hovel, BC ’10, said. “Mark Warner is doing extremely well in Virginia. Obama is doing pretty well, but the vote could swing either way. But if we can get out there and get people to vote, it could make all the difference.”
The College Republicans will not be campaigning anywhere as a group this weekend, but some members will be campaigning on their own initiative, said Lauren Salz, BC ’11, College Republicans Executive Director, and CPU Communications Director.
“It’s always great to see people engaged in the political process,” Salz said. “I wish they weren’t for Senator Obama, but it’s still an exciting time because it really matters to college students. It’s going to be an interesting election for sure.”
As a nonpartisan organization, CPU does not endorse either major party candidate. Members said they do not have any particular objectives for this coming weekend, but will be hosting an election-watch party on Tuesday evening.
“We believe that no matter what your views are, it’s important to be active in this election,” CPU’s General Manager Nick Shea, CC ’09, said. “We are not interested in promoting a specific agenda, but rather in getting everyone else involved.”
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