The Rocket

Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Dan Klein Democratic candidates for the third Congressional district of Pennsylvania (clockwise from top left) Kyle Foust, Mike Waltner, Tom Myers and Kathy Dahlkemper visited SRUon Feb. 9 to share their political views with the Slippery Rock community. [Click to enlarge]

No more than 10 to 15 SRU students were on hand for last week's forum that featured four Democratic candidates hoping to represent the third Congressional district of Pennsylvania come November.

The four candidates-Kyle Foust, Tom Myers, Mike Waltner and Kathy Dahlkemper-shared their views with students and community members at the primary election candidates forum held in the Advanced Technology and Science Hall auditorium on Feb. 9.

Greenville, Pa., Mayor Dick Miller served as the moderator of the forum.

Each candidate was asked to address issues such as the Iraq war, fixing crumbling transportation infrastructure, the country's economic recession and gender equity.

Students said that bringing the candidates to campus was a good opportunity to get involved.

"I think it is a good way to get college students involved and let them know what is going on with the political race," Sarah Backus, a 21-year-old junior majoring in secondary education, said earlier this week.

Dahlkemper said she speaks at colleges and has also set up Facebook and MySpace accounts to better connect with students. More candidates should be invited to college campuses, she said.

"It is amazing how many students are not registered to vote," Dahlkemper said.

Myers said that Democrats are picking up many interested and energized students, which bodes well for the future of the Democratic Party.

Waltner said that individual professors are doing a good amount to get students involved, but universities as a whole need to encourage students more.

Continued...

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