(Des Moines, IA) Republican presidential hopeful Elizabeth Dole is trying to tap into a group who’s been energized by her candidacy: women college students.
Dole spoke Monday at the American Institute for Business in Des Moines and Simpson College in Indianola. A.I.B. student Janelle Eoriatti hasn’t picked a presidential candidate yet, but thinks Dole might be the one.
“It would be kinda nice to get a woman’s view in there and I think it would be kinda neat to get a woman president, finally,” Eoriatti said.
In appearances before most groups, including college students, Dole recounts her own college background, Duke University as an undergrad then Harvard Law School, which led to a high-powered career in Washington, D.C.
“She’s got a good background,” Eoriatti said, after Dole’s speech. “I believe in a lot of the things that she does.”
Dole’s Iowa campaign manager, Monte Shaw, admits college students are a non-traditional block of voters who have to be convinced to attend party events, like the Iowa Republican Party strawpoll on August 14, a crucial test for presidential campaigns. However, Shaw is optimistic college women will participate.
“I certainly haven’t seen anyone else who’s brought out 2,800 in Ames (at Iowa State University) or 1,500 people in Iowa City (at the University of Iowa),” Shaw said.