CONCORD, N.H. -- Democrats from across the state invaded Concord Sunday afternoon for the first Kerry-Edwards organizing convention of the New Hampshire campaign. Chris Heinz, stepson of presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, rallied over 500 supporters at Rundlett Middle School, where they congregated to strategize for the remaining days of the campaign.
Heinz preached a message of resolute optimism and urged Democrats to stay motivated and not take anything for granted.
"The good news is we're going to win," Heinz said. "The bad news is we don't know how much by."
In a poll released by The Concord Monitor Sunday, Kerry and President George W. Bush were tied at 46 percentage points each. Recently, the campaign has set its sights on students in hopes that such votes will give them the edge they need.
"Our message for young people is: 'Your vote counts and John Kerry listens,'" Heinz said.
Heinz touched on issues important to students such as tuition and national security. The recent increases in tuition would be offset by an increase in Pell Grants, federal grants for tuition, that would return them to pre-Bush administration levels, he said. Heinz added that Kerry promises a $4,000 tax credit for any family with a college student.
The goal for the Kerry-Edwards campaign is to garner 14,000 student votes from New Hampshire, a state with more than 30,000 undergraduates, Gleason said. To this end, the campaign is going to each college in New Hampshire to encourage them to start a chapter of Students for Kerry-Edwards. The Young Democrats at Dartmouth are active in the campaign, said Melanie Gleason, youth outreach director of New Hampshire, who added that she would be attending their meeting Monday evening to help mobilize students.
"I really truly believe it is going to come down to the students in this state," said Gleason.
Gleason urged students to educate their peers about the Kerry-Edwards ticket and to make sure they know how to register and where to vote. She also suggested that colleges have dormitory captains in each residence to identify Kerry-Edwards supporters and encourage them to vote.
Rosie Hughes '07 was among about 20 members of the Young Democrats who attended the convention.
"I feel like this election is the most important of our lives," Hughes said. "The young vote is important because this is actually our chance to make a difference."
Turning to national security and foreign policy, Heinz said Kerry would not impose a draft to increase the military; instead, he would more actively recruit those willing to volunteer for the army. He would also hold a world summit to discuss the situation in Iraq and invite other nations to obtain contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq.
"The whole world has an interest in not having a failed Iraq," Heinz said.
The convention included breakout sessions to discuss how to capture New Hampshire's four electoral votes for the Democrats. For the majority of the state, this involves phone banks and going door-to-door to ensure people are registered to vote and to shore up support for the Kerry-Edwards ticket, said Nick Clemons, the Kerry-Edwards State Director.
Local politicians also attended the conference to raise state support for the Democrats. Gubernatorial candidate John Lynch, candidate for Senate Granny D. Haddock, and Congressional candidates Paul Hodes '72 and Justin Nadeau began the convention with energizing and uplifting remarks.
Overall, attendees were impressed with the convention, especially with the number of participants. Jon Bahrt, a Portsmouth resident, came to support Kerry and Lynch, and had some advice for the Kerry campaign.
"Kerry needs to show he can do what Bush can't do," Bahrt said.
John Edwards arrived in Manchester Sunday night and will be holding a town-hall forum in Manchester tomorrow to discuss the Kerry-Edwards plan for the war on terror. Jim Raspin, the Swift Boat crewmate whose life Kerry saved in Vietnam, will be in the state on Thursday.
