UI political groups seek member increases

September 7, 2000

Page and Section: 1 A

Bushites sign members while Nader and Gore supporters plan ahead for the elections.

By Erica Driskell

The Daily Iowan

As election day approaches, local political groups report a significant increase in support as they gear toward recruiting members and becoming visible on the UI campus. Campaign efforts have resulted in more than 1,300 members signing on with the UI's Students for George W. Bush, the largest candidate support group on campus, said Christian Kurasek, the group's chairman.

Last week, Bush supporters recruited 300 new members in three days, which is more than the entire membership of Students for Gore 2000, Kurasek said. Members of Students for Bush hope to reach their goal of recruiting 2,000 members by Nov. 7, Kurasek said.

"This has gone beyond all of our wildest expectations," he said. "We're rocking and rolling now."

During the summer, members of the group went to the GOP leadership conventions in Cedar Rapids, participated in outreach programs where students talked to non-traditional student groups, and helped with the National Voter Registration day, Kurasek said.

In the future, the group plans to continue recruiting members and encouraging students to vote, and it will participate in the UI Homecoming parade in October, he said.

"One of our goals is to turn youth votes to the local level at least," Kurasek said. "Students can have so much power."

Students for Bush is also promoting candidates at the local level, such as Iowa state Representative Paul Heyn and U.S. Representative Jim Leach, Kurasek said.

While Students for Bush members have started campaigning early this month, members of Students for Gore 2000 are primarily using September for planning and energizing current members. In October, the group plans to take a more active role in the Gore campaign, said Students for Gore 2000 member Liz Holst.

Students were not as active in the Iowa City area this past summer because the majority of members were upperclassmen who obtained internships in other areas of the United States, said Emily Hajek, the public relations director for Students for Gore.

As of last semester, the group had around 80 to 100 members, but Hajek said she expects that number to continue to rise. "We have everyone from University Democrats, students who were for Bradley and Students for Gore all pulling for Gore now," Hajek said. Although recruiting members is important for Students for Gore, Hajek said that because of the short amount of time, members are planning to become active on campus, Hajek said.

Students for Gore members say they plan to set up a table in the IMU several nights this month to promote voter registration as well as Gore for president, Holst said.

"The purpose of the table is really to get students to vote and then vote for Gore," she said. Students for Gore intends to march in the Homecoming parade, plan events in conjunction with the University Democrats and start going door-to-door and make phone calls in order to become visible and get UI students thinking about the campaign, Holst said.

The University Democrats are focusing on campaigning at the local level, which includes promoting candidate Vicki Lensing for state representative and candidate Bob Simpson for U.S. representative.

Between 50 and 70 students are registered with Students for Nader, a group that formed this past summer. Holly Hart, Iowa City Green Party secretary and Iowa state coordinator for the Nader campaign, said the main focus of the group is to spread Nader's name to the public.

As the month of November nears, membership numbers for Students for Nader should rise substantially, Hart said, adding she hopes the party will receive enough support to obtain ballot status in Iowa. Other planned events -- such as speakers at the UI, phone calling for Nader support and sponsoring booths -- are planned in the future for the Nader group, Hart said.

She added that she has booked an environmental lawyer to speak at the UI in the near future. Nader supporters in the Iowa City area are in the process of linking campaign groups in Des Moines, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids and other areas of the state, Hart said.

"The whole purpose is getting people involved," Hart said. "Things should be heating up in the next couple of months."

DI reporter Erica Driskell can be reached at: erica-driskell@uiowa.edu