College Republicans celebrates success of party in 2010 midterms
The leadership committee of USU’s College Republicans gathered Thursday night to celebrate the results of the 2010 Midterm General Election.
“We’re celebrating the midterm elections because we see this as a huge shift in the way our government is going to work,” said Terry Camp, chairman of the College Republicans and political science major.
The midterm elections resulted in a transfer of power from one party to another in the U.S. House of Representatives. According to the CNN Politics Election Center, the Democrats kept the majority in the United States Senate, with 53 seats, but the United States House of Representatives is now dominated by Republicans, with 239 seats. They needed 218 seats to take control of the House.
We’re anxious to see if President Obama is going to reach out and be bipartisan, like he said he would,” Camp said, referring to President Barack Obama’s post-elections press conference Wednesday, shortly after voters ousted several Democrats from the Senate and House.
“… No one party will be able to dictate where we go from here. We must find common ground in order to make progress in some uncommonly difficult challenges … I want to engage both Democrats and Republicans in serious conversations about where we’re going as a nation,” Obama said in the address.
Camp said he hopes to see certain aspects of the health care bill repealed, especially the individual mandate, which would require all citizens who can afford health insurance to purchase some coverage. “Hopefully the Republicans will be able to cut spending like they planned on; hopefully there will be actual changes,” Camp said.
The Utah State University College Democrats were disappointed by state-wide election results. Caitlin Laughlin, former Chairwoman of the College Democrats, said she was especially disappointed that Peter Corroon did so poorly in Utah.
“People don’t see Democrats in Utah. (Corroon) was a wonderful moderate candidate. Utahns missed that on the ballot,” she said.
According to Corroon’s campaign website, his race for governor was the first joint ticket for Lt. Governor and Governor of a Republican and Democrat in Utah’s history. His running mate, Sheryl Allen, “had education down pat,” said Anna Harris, current Chairwoman of USU’s College Democrats. She said she wondered how Gov. Gary Herbert will live up to his campaign as a man who hasn’t graduated from college.
“People think that in order to represent their religious concerns they have to vote Republican, which is not the case,” Harris said.
“Politicians aren’t afraid of college students because we’re not a threat.”
She said she hears of students who don’t feel like their voices are being heard, but politicians would listen if students became politically involved and gave them reason to.
“The most dramatic change (occurs) on the local level,” Laughlin said.
The College Republicans voiced a similar concern over students’ general apathy towards politics.
“A lot of students don’t even know they should be involved until it affects them. We try to educate them always,” Camp said.
Camp said students need to find a balance, and “realize that you’re going to be out in the job market, you’re going to be out paying taxes, you’re going to be forming families. This stuff is going to affect you.”
The purpose of College Republicans and College Democrats is to help members from their parties get elected, but also to inform students.
–ashley.cutler@aggiemail.usu.edu