Howard Dean, a Democratic presidential candidate, will address UW-Madison students and citizens alike Sunday, Oct. 5, at 4 p.m. for a rally and a speech on the front lawn of the Kohl Center.
He is the first presidential candidate to speak on campus, showing an interest in college students for their support and activism.
Another significant aspect of this election is that Wisconsin's primary has been moved up to Feb. 17, making Wisconsin a sizable piece of an important contest, according to UW-Madison political science professor Byron Shafer.
Shafer said he feels a lot of candidates will get an organized presence together in Wisconsin soon. He said Dean, being confident in his campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire, is already getting active and ready in Wisconsin.
Madison is in one of the biggest Democratic counties in Wisconsin, and the second-biggest city in the state, making it attractive to Democratic candidates, according to Seth Bosselli, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
Other candidates, such as U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., have offices opening in early October, Bosselli said. However, Dean is the first to speak in Madison.
Shira Roza, Students for Dean coordinator, noting that state Rep. Tammy Baldwin's win was due in part to student votes, said Dean's stop in Madison is an effective strategy.
\I think it's extrememly advantageous to be the first candidate to come,"" Roza said. ""He'll be the first candidate that most of the students see, and he's extremely enthusiastic, and I think he'll hook a lot of people by being here.""
Dean is on a five-day tour of college campuses all over the country, according to Mike Tate, Wisconsin state coordinator for the Dean campaign.
Dean is the first to make his presence known to UW-Madison because of his commitment to college students, Tate said.
Tate added that there are 200 volunteers involved and Dean wants to come out and attract more active students. Madison is known as a politically aware campus, he said, and student support is crucial.
According to Bosselli, volunteer services that college students can offer, such as going door to door and handing out pamphlets, are critical.
""Students' votes are important, but activism is just as -- if not more -- important,"" he said.
Shafer, however, said it is not because UW-Madison is a major university, but it is simply because Madison is a big campus in a state that is going to be important.
