Catawba College a "Republican campus?" Courting the youth vote

SALISBURY - There's no doubt, politicians are going after the young vote. In 2008, those aged 18 to 29 overwhelmingly voted for President Obama.

According to the Pew Research Center, 66% of the age range voted for the President, 31% voted for John McCain. This year both Republicans and Democrats are pushing hard to gain the attention of America's youth.

"It's a very Republican campus," said Gary Freeze, professor of Politics and History at Catawba College. Why does he consider this campus to be Republican?

"We don't yet have an Obama organization for students, but we're going to work on it, the intent was to wait until after this week," Freeze added, citing one of several reasons that shape his belief.

Even so, Freeze thinks the DNC will sway young voters, and some we found on campus agree.

"Yeah, I think so, I think having it so close by is really kind of maybe swaying some of the younger voters, it's kind of cool to be involved, know about it," student Justin Smith told WBTV.

"I think being able to go and hear about President Obama and see his wife, that can be a big deal," added student Dustin Shelton of Kannapolis.

Republicans are spending millions in the belief that they can capture a bigger portion of the youth vote this time around, saying Mitt Romney has a better chance at fixing the economy and creating jobs, but Freeze says there is a strong youth appeal from the Democratic Party and it's being showcased in Charlotte.

"They will see the possibilities that the Democrat party brings to alternate futures, what I find in my teaching is that young people are interested in the various ideas of how we can make the world a better place, I think what's happened with the DNC is that their perspectives are widened," said Freeze.

Source: http://salisbury.wbtv.com/news/politics/75028-catawba-college-republican-campus-courting-youth-vote

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