The MU Democrats joined politicians from across Missouri last weekend at the 40th annual Missouri Democratic Days, held in Hannibal, Mo.
Similar to Lincoln Days, which was held this past weekend for Republicans, Democrat Days was a chance for Democrats, including student groups, to network with legislators and party supporters alike.
MU Democrats President Matt Tharp said most of the executive board attended the conference. Prominent Missouri Democratic politicians that also attended included Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, Missouri State Audtior Susan Montee and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, who are all democrats.
“Pretty much all our statewide elected officials were there,” Tharp said. “It’s something we try to make it down to every year.”
The statewide organization Young Democrats of Missouri also held its officer elections at the event. All together, Tharp said there were more than 30 people representing student chapters of the Young Democrats of Missouri from different campuses across the state. Some schools that were represented included St. Louis University, Truman State University, Washington University and Missouri State University.
Tharp was elected as the secretary-treasurer of the Young Democrats of Missouri by a 30-29 margin against a student from Truman State University.
MU Democrats Treasurer Gennie Brummel said it was her first time at Democrat Days.
Brummel said Organizing for America, which is the grassroots organization in support of President Barack Obama, was present at Democrat Days to talk to students about getting involved with Obama’s campaign.
Former MU Democrats officer Alanna Bauer said Organizing for America had groups on campuses in 2008 in charge of getting the word out about voting. She said if one was started at MU in the future for the 2012 election, the MU Democrats would be closely associated with it.
Bauer attended the conference for her second and last time as part of the MU Democrats.
“I think I’ll continue to go in general, but I’m not planning on going into politics,” Bauer said, who plans on going to medical school following her graduation in May. “I’ll probably just attend as a young Democrat on my own.”
Bauer said Democrat Days provides an outlet for young student Democrats to get involved and learn how to work with politics on a college campus.
“It’s a way for not only college kids who are interested in politics to get involved but to kind of find out ways to approach the college atmosphere and how to get to students to vote and help out in politics,” Bauer said. “It’s a learning method and a networking method.”
