DUBUQUE, Iowa - UW-Madison Students for John Edwards and UW-Madison Students for Hillary Clinton traveled Saturday to Dubuque, Iowa, to secure votes for their respective Democratic Presidential candidates in the upcoming January caucus.
Walking door to door, a group of Edwards canvassers assessed potential caucus goers' current loyalty to particular candidates. The canvassers then tried to persuade Iowans to consider Edwards.
I think we're very much attuned to the Dubuque Democrats and their thinking,"" said Rod Bakke, retired educator and senior adviser of the Wisconsin for John Edwards campaign.
""The Edwards [supporters] have really stuck with him from [the 2004 campaign]. We've added a lot more younger people than we've ever had before,"" he added.
Pasha Sternberg, chair of UW-Madison Students for Hillary Clinton, said Iowans have been very receptive to the student canvassers' efforts. Many Iowa residents were ""pleasantly surprised"" students were interested in politics, according to Sternberg.
""We got invited into people's homes,"" Sternberg said, as an example of how open the Iowa residents were.
Not all welcomed the canvassers, however. Mrs. Tallman, a Dubuque resident, said the early campaigning particularly perturbed her.
""I think it's entirely too early; we have too many candidates out there now."" Tallman said. ""Rather than confusing some of the issues I think we should wait and not allow any politicking, any opinions out there until three or fours months before the election.""
Many believe the national attention toward Dubuque during election seasons has resulted in positive changes for the city over the years, according to resident Joe Dolan.
The presidential campaigns' focusing on Iowa early in the process have attracted residents from other states who want to vote in the caucuses, Dolan said.
Some of the elderly residents expressed concerns about their potential inability to travel to the caucuses.
SFJE volunteer canvasser and UW-Madison senior Ben Taft said the campaign would provide transportation on the day of the caucus for special circumstances.
Taft said increased preparation, like helping elderly voters, shows the Edwards campaign is paying special attention to organizing voters.
""Something that hurt the Dean campaign in 2004 '¦ was a lot of inexperience,"" Taft said.
""[The Edwards campaign] is going to be able to mobilize people '¦ who might not otherwise be able to make it to the caucus, might otherwise not get a chance to get [their] voices heard.""
Sternberg said SFHC would try to use connections at the university level to mobilize the student vote in Iowa. He said SFHC hopes to go to the University of Iowa in November to gather more Iowan student supporters.
According to Sternberg, students should support Clinton because of her positions on reducing interest rates on student loans and her proposal of a student borrowers' ""bill of rights.""
The official caucus is scheduled for Jan. 14 with the possibility to reschedule for Jan. 3 or Jan. 4.
