With John McCain down in the polls and Barack Obama paraphernalia covering campus, Bloomington conservatives might feel a bit discouraged for today’s election.
But for members of IU College Republicans, McCain is anything but the underdog.
IU College Republicans Chairwoman and junior Chelsea Kane said the polls showing McCain behind Obama are not slowing their campaign efforts.
“We know what we’re doing, and we understand national polls are little to no use,” Kane said.
She also said students cannot judge the whole country’s standings on the election just by Bloomington.
“It’s an interesting situation here with so much liberalism in a very small area,” Kane said. “Republicans are the minority on every college campus, barring religious conservative schools. We are taught to think in a very liberal mind set.”
For junior Justin Hill, the chairman of IU Students for John McCain, being part of a conservative club in a liberal setting has provoked a mix of emotions.
“It’s been fun and interesting to be the definite minority on campus,” Hill said. “It’s been frustrating at times because basically any visibility we’ve tried to create on our campus usually gets destroyed.”
Hill said Republican fliers are often taken down, and any conservative chalking is usually chalked over.
However, junior Jessica Howell, the IU campus coordinator for Mike Sodrel for Congress, said she has found more support for the Republican candidates than she would have guessed.
“Everyone always says IU is a liberal campus,” Howell said. “I would say there’s definitely a liberal tendency, but there are a lot of conservatives on campus.”
Howell said she is planning for a victory for John McCain and governor incumbent Mitch Daniels. Many members of the IU College Republicans will be in Indianapolis for election night to volunteer with the Daniels’ campaign and then attend a rally at Conseco Fieldhouse. Members unable to go to Indianapolis can go to various viewing parties.
But with the election almost coming to a close, sophomore Amy Stansfield, the IU campus coordinator for Students for Mitch Daniels, said she and her fellow volunteers are anxious to finish the campaign strong.
“It’s definitely exciting. We’re in overdrive right now,” she said. “We’re running on a lot of adrenaline.”
Hill said he is also ready for McCain to close the deal, and voters should not underestimate the Republicans’ ability to win.
“Bush was down in 2004 and, in hours up to the election, pulled ahead and won states he shouldn’t have won,” Hill said. “We’re feeling confident in McCain-Palin. We’re going to shock the world.”
