Huckabee Makes Stop at University of Maryland, Wooing Youth Vote

Related Link: Special Report: Elections '08

By Tamra Tomlinson
Maryland Newsline
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The potential power of the youth vote hasn’t been lost on former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who made a stop at the University of Maryland campus on Saturday.

Kathleen Kendall, a University of Maryland professor and author of the book "Communication in the Presidential Primaries," said the Republican candidate has taken a number of steps this year to catch the attention of younger voters.
 
Rather than recorded music, Huckabee’s campaign often features local bands at large events, she said. While the songs his campaign chose at one New Hampshire appearance, like Wilson Pickett’s  "In the Midnight Hour," were geared toward Baby Boomers, the idea of having live music at a political event was definitely an effort to create a festive atmosphere that would appeal to young voters, she said.

Kendall also pointed to Huckabee’s endorsement by action movie star Chuck Norris, and the actor’s frequent appearances at Huckabee’s campaign events, as a move to capture the attention of young voters -- and men.

"He does have a great sense of humor. He joked about how … if he was president, Chuck Norris would be the secretary of Defense," Kendall said.

Huckabee also benefits from the high-profile presence of daughter Sarah, who is in her 20s, on his campaign staff, Kendall said.

"I think people respond very positively to having the young daughter or son there. I think people are less intimidated by that," she said.

Grace Thompson, a junior government and politics major at the University of Maryland and president of Republican Women at Maryland, said she’s watched students’ interest in the presidential race intensify since last semester.

“The end of last semester was when things started to get exciting,” she said.

Young voters’ concerns, Thompson believes, aren’t so different from their parents this election cycle.

"A lot of people tend to assume that young people are only concerned about hot issues, like the war and global warming …. I know when I speak to members of my group, the economy is an important issue, [especially] when it comes to tuition, and a lot of people are going to be graduating pretty soon."

Republican Women at Maryland is the first collegiate chapter of the Maryland Federation of Republican Women, of which Pat Parker is president. Parker said  young voters’ support will be vital to Republican candidates this year.

"We think it's critical," she said.

She added that interest in the primaries is only the first step.

"We hope that they remain as excited about the general election," Parker said.

Copyright © 2008 University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism

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