Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton told UW-Madison College Democrats that defeating Republican gubernatorial hopeful Mark Green Nov. 7 will ""be like taking candy from a baby.""
At the College Democrats kick-off meeting Wednesday night, Lawton addressed students by highlighting the issues most important to students in this electionA-—stem cell research, same-sex marriage, birth control and financial aid.
The lieutenant governor commented on the Republican platforms on these issues saying Democrats want to ""pull them into the 21st century on our backs.""
On the highly controversial issue of the ban on civil unions and gay marriage, Lawton asserted the importance of students in taking a leadership roles in defeating the ban.
With polls showing public opinion closely divided between the opposing sides, Lawton urged students to take a stand on the issue on Nov 7.
""We can shape public policy with a longer vision of the future. We want to be the first state to defeat that amendment,"" she said.
Additionally, Lawton addressed the issues of stem cell research, emphasizing the importance of UW-Madison's role as an institution at the forefront of ground-breaking research of stem cells.
Along with stem cells generating headlines, reproductive issues have also gained attention in the limelight after the FDA made the morning after pill available over-the-counter. Lawton focused on giving students the right to access birth control and contraceptives.
Lawton also spoke on state support of the university system and her and Doyle's ""commitment to making [tuition] affordable, having doubled financial aid since [they] took office.""
UW-Madison College Democrats highlighted the student's role in the gubernatorial election. ""The first thing College Democrats understands is that no one understands how to organize the students better than local chapters. What we're doing is putting an unprecedented amount of funding and resources into these chapters,"" said College Democrats National Vice President Awais Khaleel, a UW-Madison student.
The College Democrats first vice-chair, Brian Shactman, emphasized the need ""to keep common sense up at the Capitol,"" urging students vote Democrat.
