Political student groups debate midterm politics

IU College Democrats and College Republicans had a pre-election battle for hearts and minds Tuesday.

The debate was sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha and the Black Student Union. Senior Michael Coleman, IU Student Association president and Alpha Phi Alpha member, organized the event.

The student Democrats and Republicans answered questions ranging from education to the war in the middle east, as well as local political candidates.

The debate kicked off with both sides arguing for education reform. The students then went on to talk about health care reform, the economic stimulus, immigration and the
Middle East.

The debate became heated when the Democrats and Republicans talked about local political candidates for Congress.

The Republicans attacked Democratic 9th District Congressional candidate Baron Hill, and Democrats struck back on rebuttal at the Republican challenger, Todd Young.
The same happened when discussing republican Senate candidate Dan Coats and his opponent, democrat Brad Ellsworth.

Both groups were in teams of five, led by IU College Democrats President and senior Kelly Smith and IU College Republicans President and IDS columnist Justin Kingsolver.

Before the debate, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science Yanna Krupikov said the debate was important because there could be a lot at stake during this election, with some considering it as some sort of judgement of how President Barack Obama is doing.

Democrats, she said, want to convince the country that the past two years have not been that bad while Republicans want to convince the country that the past two years have been terrible.

Most Americans don’t really know the issues, she said. She said no one knows what Americans are going to bring to the polls, though the president’s party always loses seats in Congress.

She applauded the handful of people in Whittenberger Auditorium for being different.
“By coming to this debate, you’ve all taken a different path,” Krupikov said.

Coleman said the event, is part of a group of election-themed programs put on by
Alpha Phi Alpha.