Can Rand Paul's photo ops with students generate caucus-goers?
When Rand Paul walked into the Drake University student center, for his ninth college visit in Iowa, he stopped in front of a backdrop with a pattern of his campaign's RAND flame logo, which was set up for photo ops with the students. He only had an hour to spend on the Drake campus -- before rushing to make his flight back to Washington, DC. His campaign prioritized the photo op over a long speech or audience questions.
The campaign had made a deal with the students: in exchange for a photo with Paul, they would provide their names and email addresses. So, as about 150 students lined up to take photos with Paul, campaign staffers and volunteers approached them, clipboards ready. Most students readily supplied their information. Yet many of students who signed the sheet were not Rand Paul supporters.
When asked if he supported Paul, one Drake University student flatly replied, "Oh, no, I just wanted a photo." This response came after he had waited in the long line, given his name and email to the campaign and had his photo snapped with the presidential contender. But the staffers weren't really asking the students many questions as they took down their info and shepherded them towards Paul.
"Get out your phones, be ready for the photo," campaign staffers said as they rushed students along.
One female student told a Paul campaign staffer that she was "definitely not" voting for Paul because she is a Bernie Sanders supporter. He thanked her for informing him and let her stay in line, but she didn't bother signing the sheet. She volunteered her candidate preference - the staffers were not asking students who signed the sheet if they would in fact caucus for Paul.
But make no mistake - these photo ops are about the caucuses. The campaign's goal is to turnout 10,000 college students at the Iowa caucuses in February. The campaign also has grander ambitions with its Students for Rand initiative - they hope that the students will also muster support for Paul from community members (beyond their college campuses) and that they will drive support for Paul beyond Iowa by making calls and remaining actively engaged in the campaign. There are currently twenty Students for Rand chapters across Iowa.
Tavaris Eiland, an African American 25-yr old senior at Upper Iowa University, voted for Obama in 2012 and says this will be the second time he casts a vote for president. He wants to caucus for Paul. But he has no idea how to caucus.
After Eiland had had his Paul photo op and supplied his contact information, the campaign asked him if he'd caucus for Paul. "I would do that if you told me what that is," Eiland responded.
Eiland, like many other young voters, supports Paul because of the Kentucky senator's views on criminal justice reform and marijuana. He says he has friends who are still in jail for petty crimes. Students for Rand is capitalizing on students interests on these specific topics.
"We draw people in with the issues," says Ryan Davis who is a leader of the Students for Rand chapter at Iowa State University. He came to the Drake University event to volunteer. As they waited in line for a photo op, with a high schooler he brought along with him, they brushed shoulders with a few Democratic students who were also waiting for a photo.
Of all the Republican candidates in the 2012 Iowa caucus, Ron Paul's campaign attracted the most support from 17-29 year-olds. Yet in total, only 15 percent of all Republican 2012 caucus goers were between the ages of 17 and 29, while 68 percent were over 45 years of age. The younger Paul is confident that they can push the envelope on turning out younger voters and use this tactic to win Iowa.
"We are going to be able to make inroads with kids," Paul said to CBS News when asked specifically about the small number younger caucus goers in the past.
Overall, Barack Obama has had more success than any other candidate in appealing to younger caucus goers. In 2008, 22 percent of the Democratic caucus goers were between 17-29. Fifty-seven percent of them voted for Mr. Obama.
Professor Steffen Schmidt of Iowa State University is quick to point out that Rand Paul is no Barack Obama. He says that Mr. Obama's appeal was singular. He had a "charismatic connection" to voters, generally speaking, and to college students specifically. Schmidt recalls an electric atmosphere around Obama when he met face-to-face with college students in the 2008 campaign. Paul, on the other hand, does not seek out conversations with the students who are eager to take a photo with him.
His campaign also has no caucus how-to material and no plan to teach new potential supporters like Eiland how to caucus.
Still, it is likely that Paul will return to Iowa to visit more college campuses as his campaign continues and the Iowa February caucus draws near.