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Politics & Government

GOP Campaign Recruiting on University of Iowa Campus to Kick Up in Fall

College students sticking around for summer are urged to get involved in issues that impact young adults.

University of Iowa students looking to help Republican presidential campaigns over the summer may want to wait until the fall semester when activity is expected to heighten in Iowa City, GOP college campaign recruiters say.

With offices yet to be established in eastern Iowa and candidates just starting to make their way around the state, opportunities to assist with public appearances and local political meetings are limited, said Natalie Ginty, a University of Iowa senior and Iowa Federation of College Republicans chairwoman.

Some candidates have expressed interest in forming student groups, Ginty said. But with summer underway, few students are nearby or able to help because they have either returned home or taken up full-time jobs.

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Until the fall, the UI College Republicans mainly rely on email to notify their members of upcoming volunteer opportunities when candidates make stops in the area.

“The campaigns are just starting to get in contact with us in terms of wanting to get student groups started,” she said. “But, obviously, it's difficult when you have a very small base currently because of the summer, and all these campaigns are wanting to have someone to start a Students for Romney or a Students for Pawlenty group, and you don't have those people in town.”

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Joining student groups such as the Young Americans for Liberty, a national organization that supports libertarian-leaning Republicans like Texas Congressman Ron Paul, are another means for students to work directly with specific candidates.

As was the case prior to the 2008 caucuses, the GOP field hadn’t solidified in spring when students were on campus. So local college groups likely won’t form until mid-August and September when classes resume, said Tim Hagle, UI political science associate professor.

“It's back to the individual candidates, and what we'll see is that the field will probably extend out more after the Ames Straw Poll,” Hagle said. “So by the time students are back for fall classes, that's when you're going to see a number of student groups pop up and support whoever might still be in the field."

For those who are still around during the summer, now is as good a time as any to get involved, said Johnson County Republican Chairman Bob Anderson, especially considering the nation’s economic health.

“We have a number of things that don't look good for the economy,” Anderson said. “Those things directly relate back to the student-age group, and I think they're issues that resonate with that age group, and that will cause them to be active and will cause candidates to court their votes.”

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