Ron Paul Convinces College Students to Spend Winter Break Campaigning

By Mark Geary, Reporter

Tools

By Mark Geary

Story Created: Dec 18, 2007 at 9:29 PM CST

Story Updated: Dec 19, 2007 at 11:58 AM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Winter break is usually a time for college students to go home and relax. But one political candidate is convincing college students from all over the country to come to Iowa and help him campaign.

About eighty college students from all over the country are here in Iowa this week to campaign for Ron Paul.

The students can't participate in the caucus, but they can help spread Paul's message to the younger generation.
Paul is one of the oldest people running for president, but his message connects with people barely old enough to vote.

"That age group are the ones that are energized and they are just being introduced into politics. Some have never voted before," Paul said.

Student Alex Potter flew in from Seattle. “Our only experience with politics is the past eight years. Really what have we seen? We've seen deficits. We've seen wars. We've seen eroding civil liberties. Ron Raul represents the exact opposite of all those things," Potter said.

The campaign will pay for the students' room and board during their week-long stay, but the students had to cover the cost of getting to Iowa.

"My parents wouldn't pay for it. But, like twelve people came by my dad's office and said, 'I heard your son's going to Iowa. That's great,'" Potter said.

One student came all the way from Canada to go door to door campaigning for Paul.

"I found out about the opportunity, and one day later, I just spontaneously booked a plane trip to Iowa...not knowing who I was going to stay with..or who was going to pick me up at the airport," student James Hearn said.

The Republican candidate says his simple message attracts young voters.

"Government doesn't work well. We offer what seems to be a very positive approach -- the constitution, personal liberties, sound money, coming home from Iraq, saving a lot of money. The whole message comes together and people get excited about it," Paul said.

Even though Paul comes from a much different generation than these students, he's found a way to relate to them.

Now, he just has to convince enough people to show up on caucus night.

The week before the caucus, about 160 other college students will camp out here in Iowa to help the campaign.

Most polls show Paul trailing behind his Republican rivals.

But, earlier this week, Paul raised six million dollars in one day -- which set a record.

Next Article Iowa Teacher Charged with Sending Suggestive Texts

Conversation Guidelines

Be Kind

Don't use abusive, offensive, threatening, racist, vulgar or sexually-oriented language.
Don't attack someone personally. Keep it civil and be responsible.

Share Knowledge

Be truthful. Share what you know and what you are passionate about.
What more do you want to learn? Keep it simple.

Stay focused

Promote lively and healthy debate. Stay on topic. Ask questions and give feedback on the story's topic.

Report Trouble

Help us maintain a quality comment section by reporting comments that are offensive. If you see a comment that is offensive, or you feel violates our guidelines, simply click on the "x" to the far right of the comment to report it.

read the full guidelines here »

Commenting will be disabled on stories dealing with the following subject matter: Violent crime, sexual abuse, Amber Alerts, Operation Quickfinds and suicides.