Democrats have it pretty easy on Temple’s campus. They have a large constituency, and important figures in the party have dropped by this past year.
Republican students, on the other hand, are basically in no man’s land. Sen. John McCain’s camp has dropped the ball on campaigning in the city and especially at Temple.
It is an uphill battle getting Republican support in such a Democratic city, but the lack of trying isn’t a good message for the Republicans in the city, however few and far between they are.
As The Temple News reports this week, Temple College Republican’s President Brian McGovern said it is hard getting the word out that there is a Republican presence on campus.
How can a college group be expected to inform a campus when the national group will barely acknowledge the area in which Temple is located?
Yes, Philadelphia is full of Democrats, but campaigning is about getting voters to see a candidate’s platform and sway their opinion. There are 11 Obama campaign offices in Philadelphia, while there are only two McCain campaign offices. The first office is in the Northeast, where most of the city’s Republicans reside, and the second just opened this weekend at 10th and Arch streets.
The McCain campaign’s lack of a voice in the area is a disheartening message to Temple’s Republicans and an admittance of defeat. The youth vote is of utmost importance this election year, but the McCain campaign is ignoring one of the largest groups of students in Philadelphia.
Republican students wanting to see their candidates in person have been forced to venture out to the suburbs where the McCain/Palin ticket is more welcome. McCain did make a surprise visit to Reading Terminal a few weeks ago, and Palin watched the presidential debate at the Irish Pub over the weekend, but those visits were highly controlled and semi-private.
A good campaign isn’t only about pandering supporters, but getting ideas out to voters who aren’t part of your constituency.
The Temple News isn’t expecting John McCain to chow down at the J&H cafeteria, but throw Republican students a bone and send a prominent party member up North Broad Street.
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