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As the presidential election in November approaches, political student groups are gearing up for their campaigns on campus in the coming months, looking to elevate student interest in hopes that students will impact the voting polls in the fall.

Bruin Republicans, who will seek the re-election of the Bush-Cheney ticket in November, are working on expanding their presence on campus. Presently, Bruin Republicans are in the planning stages of their Bush campaign strategies. 

After Super Tuesday’s events, they expect to elevate their promotional activity for Bush’s re-election. 

“We plan on increasing our tabling and handing out campaign materials,” said Matthew Knee, a member of Bruin Republicans. 

“We want to draw attention to things we think are important to the electorate,” Knee added, citing what he perceived as weaknesses in the liberal voting record on national security issues of the Democratic front-runner John Kerry.

In response to the concerns of graduating students who need jobs in a period of economic uncertainty, Knee said he wanted “people to understand that the president has limited control over the workforce.”

Bruin Republicans President Jonathan Cayton expressed his confidence in Bush’s reelection. Clayton said regardless of who the Democratic candidate ends up being, “we do not perceive him as a threat.”

Closely affiliated with Bruin Republicans is the UCLA chapter of California Students for Bush, a new and unofficial student group on campus.

Presently, Students for Bush is awaiting an overdue shipment of campaign materials from the state-wide organization before they launch any major campaigning events. Bruin Republicans will also utilize these official campaigning resources. 

Jennifer Otter, president of Students for Bush and secretary of Bruin Republicans, said her group would take an active approach.

“Everyone has shown great teamwork and dedication so I’m very optimistic about the months to come,” she said.

Otter plans to provide voter registration forms on Bruin Walk, pass out Republican newsletters and have sign-ups for volunteer opportunities with Students for Bush.

She also said she wants to keep the campaign focused on what she sees as Bush’s positive attributes.

Jeremy Evans, another member of both Bruin Republicans and Students for Bush, agreed with taking such an approach.

“A negative campaign isn’t going to go so well with middle-of-the-road voters,” he said.

Otter and Evans are currently planning correspondence with a variety of student demographics around campus, such as students involved in Greek life and religious organizations.

Evans, a member of a fraternity and a local church, sees a potential for the conservative constituencies within these groups to register to vote Republican. 

Conversely, the Bruin Democrats will be working to sustain the energy from the primaries, and to build momentum by putting their energy into efforts similar to the Bruin Republicans, including rallies, debate-watching parties and policy forums. They also hope to bring the official Democratic runner in a rally on the UCLA campus.

Bruin Democrats do not endorse a candidate until a winner is officially announced after the Democratic National Convention.

Until that occurs in July, they will work to present a unified front, working with all the factions of Democratic support, such as Bruins for Edwards and Bruins for Kerry. 

Bruin Democrats will employ campaign issues they believe will resonate with members of the UCLA community, and which they see Bush as having weaknesses in, such as the environment and the economy.

“If the kind of economic development and war in Iraq continues the way it’s been going, I don’t think Bush will be re-elected,” said Matthew Dababneh, a fourth-year political science and public policy student. 

All Democratic student groups will ultimately use campaign issues, such as the economy and foreign policy, which are particularly salient for the upcoming election, to garner students into becoming politically proactive.