College Republicans and Democrats lead the way

By: Matthew Pipkin, Columnist

Following last week’s headline article with the Towerlight “Towson gears up for elections,” I wanted to supplement the article by shining a light on two groups on campus that have gone above and beyond the call for political grassroots organizations. The College Republicans and College Democrats of Towson have both respectively done an excellent job building up a reputation of having some of the hardest working political volunteers in the state. Both groups have also remained very active on campus, as they have worked jointly to plan with the Knollwood Association and Towson’s Office of Civic Engagement for this Friday’s “Candidate Debate: The Future of 42” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Minnegan Room.

As the College Republican President, I have the honor in overseeing our 40-plus active members as they go across the state, taking leadership roles in various campaigns. Just to name a few, we currently boast having members being campaign directors for the Tony Campbell for U.S. Senate Campaign, a regional director for the Hogan for Governor Campaign, the youngest elected official in Maryland history serving as a Republican central committee member and campaign managers for both the Baltimore County Council and Maryland delegate races. This list does not include the countless hours spent by our members, helping in campaign races up and down the ballot.  

Now this is not just a Republican phenom on campus. Although we fiercely debate annually, the Towson Colleges Democrats and ourselves have an excellent working relationship, and I have heard a bit about their political efforts as well. Reported to me by my friend, President Josh Lash, the College Democrats remain staunch volunteers for Democratic campaigns across the state. They have had field organizers for the Ben Jealous race, a campaign manager for the Howard County Council and leadership roles within the Baltimore County Democratic Party. Last spring, the College Democrats even hosted a Baltimore County Executive Race debate here at Towson University.

Now don’t get me wrong; the Office of Civil Engagement here on campus has been doing tremendous work in getting our students engaged and encouraging political conversations here on campus. I believe because of the excellent leadership by Chris Jensen and Luis Sierra, Towson will see an unusual spike in the percentage of students voting during this midterm season compared to other universities. But I would implore any and all students seeking to make a difference in politics in Maryland; come to one of our political organizations. Through us, we will ensure that we can get you connected politically and help get you on the path towards making a difference in your community. If making a difference locally interests you, please come out to our collaboration event with the District 42/42A debate this Friday at the Minnegan Room from 6 to 8 p.m. Both clubs will be there as we host two debates that involve both the state delegate and state senator races that incorporate Towson University in the districts.

 

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