While most of the campus is focusing on the upcoming presidential election, the College Republicans and the Penn Democrats are also focusing on another race - one in which most Penn students will not be able to vote.
U.S. Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) is running for reelection against Republican challenger Tom Manion in the Philadelphia suburb of Bucks County. Though that race is not on the ballot in Philadelphia County, both the Penn Dems and College Republicans are campaigning for their respective candidates.
This is the "hottest election in Pennsylvania," said College Republicans communications director and College junior Mike Tate.
"It's a swing district we think we can win," he added. In Bucks County, registered voters are nearly evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, with Democrats slightly ahead.
The race is a high-profile contest that centers on the Iraq War. Murphy, who won with just 50.3 percent of the vote in 2006, is the only Iraq veteran in Congress. Manion's son was killed in Iraq in 2007.
The College Republicans, who primarily do phone banking and literature drops for Manion, contacted the campaign in the middle of the summer, according to Tate.
The group asked Manion to speak at its first meeting, according to David Borek, scheduler for the Manion campaign. Borek said Manion was available "and thought it was a good thing to do."
"We have been working hand-in-hand since then," he said.
The relationship benefits both groups, Borek said - the College Republicans get campaign experience, and "it helps us where we need extra muscle."
The Penn Dems have had a relationship with the Murphy campaign since his first congressional race in 2006.
In the spring of 2006, the group got involved in a suburban congressional race "because none of the elections in Philly really mattered," said Penn Dems president and College junior Lauren Burdette.
Penn Dems invited different candidates from nearby suburbs to come speak to the group and then voted to endorse Murphy, according to Burdette.
In the fall of 2006, "all our efforts were devoted to Bucks County," Burdette said.
The group has continued to work for Murphy, making weekend trips to Bucks County to campaign for the congressman.
But this semester, Penn Dems has largely focused on voter registration on campus because most people in Bucks County are permanent residents and likely to already be registered, Burdette said.
In addition, Penn Dems has a few members interning for the campaign, according to Burdette, who was an intern there in 2006.
Nat Binns, press secretary for the Murphy campaign, said the Penn Dems "helped propel Patrick Murphy to victory" in 2006, and added that the campaign "is honored to again have the support of the Penn Dems - who have quickly become an influential political voice in Southeastern Pennsylvania."
