Campaigns cater to student votes

NEW YORK -- With the general elections only 62 days away, politicians are heating up their campaigns and keeping college students in sight. \nTuesday saw the arrival of Indiana Republican gubernatorial candidate Mitch Daniels to the Republican National Convention. \nDaniels had the opportunity to speak at the convention but didn't pursue it. He said doesn't make that much of a difference.\nBut Daniels does know what will make a big difference when it comes to the campaign and college students -- the economy. \n"(Students are asking) 'Will I have a job in Indiana if I want one?'" Daniels said on the convention floor. \nDaniels went on to say that the pessimism is due to the way the economy has been heading. \nOn the national scale, President Bush's campaign also has begun to include students in its movement. \nThe campaign hired students to work the polls on Election Day, in part to help combat the largely Democratic labor unions, which give their employees Election Day off.\n"Let's start early," Bush-Cheney Campaign National Spokesman Terry Holt said. "Let's get the students motivated."\nStarting in 2000, the Bush campaign used students down the final stretch before the election and plan on doing so this year as well. \n"In 2000, (the campaign) put heavy emphasis on college students helping us in the last 72 hours," Holt said. \nDaniels said that, so far in his campaign, the out-pour of students involved with politics can be seen statewide. \n"There is no doubt if you travel with us, you will see young people who are active in this campaign and they are with us," he said.\nAccording to Indiana Delegate Brian Bosma of Indianapolis, Daniels has taken the road less traveled in search of the governorship. \n"Mitch is running strong all over the state," Bosma said. "He has been places where governors have never been before."\nOn the national level, Holt said word-of-mouth is the best way to support a political officer. \n"The best endorsement a candidate can get is from a neighbor, in the dorm room or from a co-worker," Holt said.The president is looking out for students' pocketbooks and their future. \nWith tuition increases occurring on an annual basis, students are scrounging to find money to pay for college.\nHolt said in the upcoming year, barring a re-election, the president hopes to pass more legislation making more money accessible to students. \n"We hope to pass the Higher Education Reauthorization Act, making more loans available," he said. \nFor another Hoosier campaigning for a public office, college students have become key to his success. \nU.S. senate hopeful Republican Marvin Scott is running against six-year democratic incumbent Sen. Evan Bayh. Scott spoke at the convention Monday morning about bringing more minorities into the Republican Party. \nScott visited IU in July, and said he has been traveling the state, visiting campuses and hearing from student leaders.\nWith a little over two months until the general elections, students' issues have been put on the table, and the politicians that will be receiving their votes understand this and are gearing up for a heated run. \n-- Contact Senior Writer Josh Weinfuss at jweinfus@indiana.edu.