As two presidential hopefuls dropped out of the 2008 presidential race Wednesday, some student groups at the University of Wisconsin were left without candidates to support.
Students for Edwards Chair Ben Taft said the group spoke with former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards? parents Tuesday evening and discussed the candidate?s plans for winning Wisconsin.
?So it came as a bit of a surprise this morning,? Taft said Wednesday.
After the Florida Republican Primary Tuesday, Students for Rudy chair Nick Novak said he knew it would make no sense for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to continue his candidacy.
?Toward the middle of ? the primaries, I started to feel that this was coming,? Novak said. ?But if you had asked me that question in October or November, I would have thought you were crazy.?
The candidates? dropout will affect the endorsements of several Wisconsin leaders.
Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz backed Edwards, as did U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wis., and Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke, two of Wisconsin?s 18 Democratic super-delegates, who are not required to choose a candidate based on the primary vote.
?I think Super Tuesday is still wide open,? College Democrats Chair Oliver Kiefer said. ?It is hard for me to guess that all of Edwards? supporters will flock to one candidate or the other; I don?t really see that happening. This will go well beyond Super Tuesday.?
Though members of Students for Edwards and Students for Rudy will be displaced by their candidates? dropout, Kiefer said he hopes they will remain supportive throughout the end of the presidential race.
?John Edwards had a very good student group behind him,? Kiefer said. ?They were well-organized and passionate people, and we are hoping that we will be able to use their support come Election Day here, to work on our Get Out the Vote Campaign.?
Novak said he plans to continue his support through the end of the race, but he can?t speak for the rest of the members of Students for Rudy.
?I know personally I am going to work with John [McCain?s supporters] because Giuliani is expected to endorse him, and if anyone else wants to, they are welcome,? he said.
