As Democrats inch closer to wrapping up the primary and selecting their nominee, President Bush is meanwhile revving up his re-election campaign in an attempt to ensure he remains in the White House four more years.

The Bush/Cheney re-election campaign is set to begin running ads as early as the beginning of March. The ads are meant in part to counter the barrage of criticisms the Bush administration has endured in recent weeks due to the Democratic primary, which polls reveal has caused Bush’s popularity ratings to sink.

“[Democrats] have spent millions of dollars on attacks on the president, and we are simply setting the record straight,” Sharon Castillo, spokesperson for the Bush/Cheney campaign, said of the ads.

On campus, Bush supporters are gearing up early in an effort to ensure that they capture a significant portion of the student vote. After Democratic candidates’ strong presence in the state due to the Wisconsin Democratic primary’s importance this year, Republican campaigners’ initial efforts will focus simply on getting their presence felt on campus.

“Right now, we are trying to get our name out there, to make sure students know we exist and there is an alternative to the Democrats in Wisconsin,” Frank Hennick, co-chair of Students for Bush, said.

Their initial efforts will work to rally students behind Students for Bush in order for the group to campaign full force in the fall of 2004 to get conservative students out to the polls in November.

“Our goal is to maximize the number of people here who will vote for Bush,” Hennick said. “We are trying to identify people with conservative leanings but who may be intimidated by the liberal atmosphere in Madison and get them out to the polls.”

Although Madison’s student population is nationally reputed as a left-leaning demographic, many students involved in Bush’s re-election campaign claim there is a significant base of conservatives that exist and can be mobilized on campus.

“There are plenty of conservative voters out there. Unfortunately, on campus their voice is seldom heard,” Jessi Schober, co-chair of Students for Bush, said. “We are definitely trying to mobilize the conservative voters on campus because they are usually shut out.”

To get voters, Republican students plan to focus on emphasizing Bush’s record more than critiquing the Democratic candidate. The strategy is not only intended to provide the group with an early start before the Democrats finally select their nominee, it is also meant to ensure students cast their ballots in support of Bush’s presidency rather than because of a disillusionment with the Democratic establishment.

“This race is purely about Bush and how his record will stand up to [Democrats’],” Schober said. “In this race, I want people to be voting for Bush rather than voting against one of the other candidates.”

Democrats on campus, however, say they are not concerned with the stepped up efforts Students for Bush are planning to mobilize student voters.

“I’m pretty confident that this campus will vote democratic as it always has,” Ryan Grady, president of University of Wisconsin College Democrats, said.