Hodes is opposed by Republican candidate Jennifer Horn, a conservative radio show host and former columnist for The Nashua Telegraph. A University of New Hampshire poll conducted in late October found that Hodes led Horn by 13 percentage points.
Campaigning on campus, Hodes discussed the prospects of the entire Democratic ticket, emphasizing the importance of voting not only in the presidential election, but also for the Senate, House and local candidates.
Today's election is especially important because straight-ticket voting is no longer possible, Hodes told The Dartmouth.
"If folks are committed to helping turn this country around, to voting for [Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack] Obama, for [former New Hampshire Governor and Democratic Senatorial candidate] Jeanne Shaheen and for me, I hope they'll go down the ballot and vote for all the Democrats," Hodes said. "We can use a team approach and a federal-state approach to set the course of this country for the 21st century."
David Imamura '10, president of the Dartmouth College Democrats, said that Hodes' emphasis on party unity was what motivated his organization to invite Hodes to campus.
"We know that Barack Obama is going to win six to one at Dartmouth," Imamura said. "The question is, are Dartmouth students going to vote down the ticket? That's why we asked Hodes to come. He knows that at the end of the day, if you're going to have a Democratic president, you need a Democratic team."
The economy will be the primary concern for most New Hampshire voters, Hodes said. He defended his two votes against the $700 billion bailout plan that Congress passed last month, and said he believes Congress should have taken more time before adopting the new plan.
"This plan, as it was developed, was too much of a trickle-down gamble of the tax-payers' money," he said. "I could not vote for it when I thought what was needed was a comprehensive, bottom-up approach which tackled the mortgage foreclosure crisis and had protections for taxpayers."
He added that the current economic crisis is particularly relevant to college students, citing concerns about loans and tuition costs.
"The state of our economy and the state of our government need some fundamental change, and the students who are here today are going to be the ones who inherit this country," Hodes said to the College Democrats. "We need smart, engaged students to become smart, engaged citizens and help us turn this around."
The issues will largely resolve themselves when the economy is stabilized, he said. He added that he supports new legislation that will "provide significant help with college tuition" after young adults do sufficient community service or serve in the military after turning 18.
Hodes cautioned voters against focusing solely on the state of the economy, and emphasized that the next president could change the course of the war in Iraq.
"This election is the chance to express a strong preference for a responsible and strategic redeployment of our troops from Iraq to make sure that we are doing the right things to protect our national security," he said
At his meeting with the College Democrats, Hodes compared the spirit of this year's election to the political atmosphere at the College during the Vietnam War.
"When I was at Dartmouth, we took over an administration building," he said. "When you're at Dartmouth, you're going to take over the country. That's a whole different level. You hold the world in your hands. Literally."
Though the outcome of the election will affect many pressing national issues, Hodes told undecided voters to first consider the party's approach to campaigning, rather than a candidate's stance on an issue.
"I would not look first to issues, but to the difference in the kinds of campaigns that have been waged by the two parties," Hodes said. "The Democrats, with Barack Obama's leadership, have talked about bringing people together in a positive way, across the aisles, to galvanize the optimistic spirit of the American people and to solve our problems together."
Hodes told The Dartmouth that he will spend election day traveling throughout New Hampshire.
"I'll vote early in the morning, visit polling places, end up in Nashua for the polls to close at about 8 p.m., and then head to Manchester for what I hope will be a smashing victory celebration," he said.
Hodes was first elected to Congress in 2006, when he defeated six-term incumbent Charlie Bass '74, R-N.H., and was immediately elected the president of his freshman class in the House of Representatives. He serves on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Financial Services Committee. Hodes was one of the first congressmen of an early primary state to endorse Obama.
