UNC students lead both college parties

UNC students will lead the state’s College Republicans and Young Democrats for the first time in recent history after Tar Heels swept the groups’ recent elections.

The N.C. Federation of College Democrats elected Tom Jensen to its presidency Saturday in Raleigh during the group’s spring convention. The former student body president candidate at UNC ran unopposed.

The state’s College Republicans elected University student Tripp Costas on April 3 during a similar convention.

Jensen said the moves make sense. UNC, he added, is simply a hotbed of political activity.

“I think the reason that both Tripp and I have been elected from Chapel Hill is we’re definitely the campus in the state that is the most politically involved,” he said.

He added that Chapel Hill’s campus attracts a wide range of students from across the state — and that those students come together under UNC’s umbrella.

“The College Republicans and Young Democrats here are just really in tune, from Manteo to Murphy,” Jensen said.

Both Costas and Jensen hope to spread support for their groups throughout the state.

Costas pointed to the list of high-profile speakers UNC’s College Republicans have brought to campus as proof of the group’s success. Students hope to spread their influence to other campuses in much the same way, he said.

He also hopes to strengthen the state group enough so it can help Republicans win a majority in the General Assembly in the November 2006 elections. Currently, the GOP faces a 63-57 minority in the House and a 29-21 deficit in the Senate.

Jensen said the state YD also hopes to expand its influence. Courtney Crowder, current head of the statewide group, said the attendance of new YD chapters at the statewide convention proves that the organization already has started to meet that goal.

Jensen said he’ll help these new groups, which lack resources, get support and funding.

“What I want to do is get some of the more established clubs to collaborate with the new ones.”

He also said the state YD can help out in local elections across the Triangle this year. Jensen has ties to town politics — he led Students for a Progressive Chapel Hill during the 2003 campaign — but said that wouldn’t affect his group’s activism.

“There will be a major student presence in municipal elections this fall in the Triangle,” he said.

Costas also said he wants to challenge what he thinks is a liberal orthodoxy on campus.

He added that he hopes the University’s position at the center of N.C. college politics can spark a friendly, effective rivalry.

“Tom’s not afraid to start a fire, and I’m not afraid to spread gasoline,” Costas said. “I look forward to keeping Tom on his toes. … We’ll be able to work very well together.”

 

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.