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College Republicans set for political semester
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by Alexandra Rogers
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
The University of Wisconsin's College Republicans kicked off the 2006-07 academic school year with their first meeting of the semester Tuesday night.
The conservative student group offered members a number of opportunities, including an internship in the office of Republican legislator Brett Davis and information about Theta Delta Chi — a fraternity looking to "become Madison's Conservative Fraternity."
A representative from Green Team — a Republican grassroots organization aptly named after its support for gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis. — urged College Republicans to join the group.
Expressing her discontent with current Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, College Republicans Chair Erica Christenson, a UW senior, said one of the main goals of the organization this semester would be "getting Doyle out of office."
However, the meeting was not limited to only students.
Several state representatives showed their support for the College Republicans by attending the kickoff meeting, including Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, and Dave Magnum, who is running for Congress against Democrat Tammy Baldwin.
The speakers echoed similar concerns to students, encouraging a grassroots movement and campaigning for the Republican Party in order to remove Doyle from office.
Students came to the meeting with varying conservative backgrounds and interests.
UW sophomore Catherine Meresak — who transferred from George Washington University this semester — said she attended the kickoff meeting because it is "another way to keep up to date with what's going on in political issues with your party."
Sophomore Sol Grosskopf is an active member of the Associated Students of Madison and said he joined the College Republicans last year because it allows him to build "a social network of students with similar interests."
Freshman Ryan Berg said he joined College Republicans because he saidMadison was a "scary liberal city."
But College Republicans won't be the only ones to place heavy emphasis on this semester's gubernatorial elections, as College Democrats of Madison will also work to draw student interest for the election, though they will be doing it on behalf of Doyle.
"We look forward to working with the College Republicans to promote the student vote on campus and to raise the level of public debate," College Democrats Chair Eli Lewien said. "And we look forward to ensuring the most successful of democratic competitions this November."
Doyle and Green face off in the general election Nov. 7.
Anonymous (September 13, 2006 @ 11:15am):
Explain to me why a self-described conservative would choose Madison for their college education? Are you "spying" on the liberal students and professors? Are you going to fight the system for four years and convert Madison to a small-government, socially conservative paradise? I just don't get it.
You've got all your life to be conservative, why do it now when you're young?
Anonymous (September 13, 2006 @ 5:10pm):
Last week, Students for a Fair Wisconsin had a kickoff with nearly 400 people. Strangely, despite the fact that there has never been a turnout that large for a kickoff for anything during the first week of school, let alone an issue campaign in a non-presidential election year, the Badger Herald was silent on the matter. Rumor has it, the Herald told Students for a Fair Wisconsin that they don't cover kickoffs, even though they've now covered this kickoff and the Halloween Action Committee kickoff the same night. Hmm...
