Kuster spoke at a barbecue hosted by the College Democrats outside of the Collis Center on Wednesday, and Swett spoke before a meeting of the College Democrats on Monday.
Both candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination in the race to replace Rep. Paul Hodes '72, D-N.H. Hodes will leave his 2nd District seat to run for the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H. State Rep. John DeJoie, D-Merrimack, is also seeking the nomination.
Kuster's event was part of her campaign's larger series of "30 House Parties in 30 Days," held from April 11-May 10 throughout the 2nd District, she said. Kuster said many Dartmouth students have volunteered for her campaign and one of her goals on Wednesday was to recruit students to help organize her campaign on campus.
At the barbecue, Kuster discussed her record as an advocate for progressive causes and her work on the presidential campaigns of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in 2004, and President Barack Obama in 2008.
In an interview with The Dartmouth, Kuster said that her progressive record including her committed pro-choice stance, opposition to troop increases in Afghanistan and opposition to nuclear energy distinguishes her from her opponents in the primary.
At the College Democrats meeting on Monday, Swett took questions from attending students on issues including women's rights, lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender rights, national security and budget deficits.
When asked by a student what distinguished her from the other candidates in the race, Swett said that she viewed herself as the most practical, non-ideological candidate for the Democratic nomination.
"I believe I am the most electable," she said.
She also emphasized that she did not believe Democrats "can go wrong," in selecting a nominee this fall.
Swett is the wife of former U.S. ambassador to Denmark Dick Swett, who held New Hampshire's 2nd District seat from 1991 to 1995. Swett's father Tom Lantos, a Holocaust survivor who died in 2008, was a representative from California from 1981 until his death.
In a statement released last Thursday, representatives of Swett's campaign said they had raised $325,000 since filing with the Federal Election Commission in January, bringing the campaign's total resources to over one million dollars. Swett's campaign has raised more funds than the campaign of any other candidate in the Democratic or Republican primary races, according to the statement.
Kuster said her own campaign's greatest resource was its "grass-roots" support, and that the campaign has more than 1,000 volunteers in over 100 towns across the District.
"We will win this campaign one handshake at a time, one living room at a time," she said. "At the end of the day, it's New Hampshire voters that will make the decision."
Swett also encouraged students attending Monday's event to get involved in political campaigns, saying in the interview that social change and progress depends on younger generations standing up for their beliefs.
"You are the most sophisticated generation in the history of the world," she said. "Don't be afraid to speak out what you are doing is inherently meaningful."
The College Democrats decided to organize the events when they received word from the respective campaigns that Kuster and Swett would be in the area, according to David Imamura '10, former president of the College Democrats. Although the College Democrats can host such events they hosted a previous appearance by Kuster in February their charter does not permit them to endorse a specific candidate, Imamura said.
Imamura said the events were well-attended and helped to spark student interest in local politics.
"Meeting with candidates always increases enthusiasm," Imamura said. "These two events really got people interested in the upcoming primary and eventually the general election."
Several other candidates running for New Hampshire public office have visited Dartmouth over the past few months, most recently former state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, who is running against Hodes in the Senate race and who spoke before a meeting of the College Republicans on April 2.
