Sen. John Kerry and his campaign team have their minds set on New Hampshire, one of the major swing states in this election, and recent polls seem to indicate that their efforts are paying off.
In a September 15, 2004 poll of 500 likely voters conducted by Rasmussen Reports, 51 percent said they would vote for Kerry and 45 percent for President George W. Bush.
New Hampshire carries extra importance this year due to the close nature of the election. In 2000, former Vice President Al Gore lost the election in New Hampshire by one percentage point to Bush. New Hampshire's four electoral votes would have been enough to make Gore president.
With the 2000 election so close on their heels, Democratic strategists are aware that the pressure is on come November.
"With as close as this election is going to be, electoral votes are going to count," said Kathleen Strandt, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.
New Hampshire can expect campaign stops from Kerry, vice presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards, Theresa Heinz Kerry and Elizabeth Edwards, Strandt said.
Now, Edwards is scheduled to be in New Hampshire on Monday, and Kerry's stepson, Chris Heinz, will be making stops at colleges, not including Dartmouth, on Sunday and Tuesday.
Strandt declined to discuss longer-term plans, as the campaign constantly reevaluates where to send its heavy hitters.
Due to the importance of the young vote, however, the Kerry campaign plans to send representatives to many colleges in the coming weeks. Top issues for young voters this year are the economy and jobs, followed closely by terrorism, education and safeguarding civil liberties, according to a September 13 poll of 18 to 20-year-olds conducted by CBS News for MTV and the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
On campus, the Young Democrats are getting involved as well. They are encouraging those who are interested to attend the New Hampshire Kerry-Edwards Organizing Convention this Sunday in Concord to celebrate recent achievements and to plan for the remaining weeks before the election.
They intend to discuss strategy further at their meeting on Monday.
