Two months ago democratic presidential hopefuls entered Iowa to begin campaigning for the nomination.
They then moved to New Hampshire, California and New York in an effort to gain enough delegates to be named the democratic nominee.
Yesterday was Super Tuesday, when residents in 10 states voted for who they wanted to be the democratic nominee for president.
But here at LSU there is little talk about the primaries. I know that one reason is because college students are seen as apathetic and the Louisiana primary is not for another week, but shouldn’t the candidates or their campaigns already be vying for our votes?
Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said the democratic candidate will be chosen March 10, the day after our primary. So will people care about the 72 delegates Louisiana has to give?
So far it doesn’t look like it.
Howard Dean dropped out of the race after the Wisconsin primary. He was the only candidate who had a strong presence among college students, specifically here at LSU. But now that he is out, will anyone care about getting students involved?
Before the Iowa caucus, democratic candidates spent at least a week having press conferences and really campaigning to gain support by traveling to all parts of the state.
But it is a week before Louisiana’s primary, and where are the candidates or even their supporters?
Presidential hopeful Sen. John Edwards may be from North Carolina and consider Louisiana to be in “his backyard,” but if that is the case why isn’t someone already here drumming up support for him?
College students are apathetic, I will not argue with that.
But I will argue that we are apathetic because no one takes the time to talk to us. Candidates speak in terms we do not understand or they talk to us about issues such as Medicare and Social Security. I know that they talk about these issues because the people who vote care about these issues. But there are other issues at hand that the younger generation does care about and will work to support.
With primaries in Texas, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana next week, what will happen? The largest of these states is Texas, will all of the candidates be there?
I feel that no matter how small the state is every candidate should show interest in a state and at least have people campaign on his behalf.
I do not expect every candidate to meet every person, but I do expect them to show some effort to get votes. Even in presidential elections, candidates need to show they at least care about the state even if they know it is a republican or democratic state.
Look at California: everyone campaigns hard there because it has the most electoral votes.
But candidates should not focus their time on one place. Candidates who focus their energy on the North have a bias in favor of the North, just as Southern candidates would be biased to the South.
Candidates center their energy on the largest states and the swing states, making the people on the ballot chosen by a very small majority. It is important for everyone to have a say in who will represent their party in an election.
On March 9, everyone should exercise their right to vote for the person who they feel will best represent their beliefs.