There has been much discussion in the netroots recently about the potential power of the Youth Vote in Iowa, or its lack of power. While I clearly have a side in all this. My most important side is the truth. There is much discussion about the potential of Youth of Vote. This diary is about an actual example of undisputed Youth Power. Congressman Joe Courtney would not be a Congressman today were it not for the power of Youth Vote at the University of Connecticut. I was not a part of the effort to turnout Young Voters on the Uconn Stores Campus but the numbers speak for themselves.
The 83 vote Youth Miracle.
In a Congressional District in which John Kerry won 50 towns of out of 61, Rob Simmons in 2006 was able to win 38 towns. In short Rob Simmons should have won the election. While most towns were very close, Rob Simmons has a much wider base. This was shown in 2002 when Rob Simmons beat the same Joe Courtney by 8%. Based on the established and traditional politics of the Congressional District Rob Simmons should still be a Congressman. He isn’t because of the University of Connecticut Students. In a race decided by 83 votes in 2006, The town in which Uconn is located Mansfield, saw the total number of votes for Joe Courtney jump by 1245 or roughly 40%, The Courtney jump across the district was around 20%. The net gain from the Mansfield was about 1000 vote. A midterm election on one college campus netted 1000 new Democratic young voters and beat a Congressman.
Implications
Youth Voters are not just potential, they are winning election now . I am sure I am not the only person from a state or race who could say this to be true. I don’t know the other examples precisely. However as just one more quick example. In the Montana Senate Race 17% percent of voters were under 30 and they gave Jon Tester 56% of the vote his far and away best showing amongst any age group and without them, Tester would have lost. Young Voters are producing Democratic wins now. So while you still might not believe they will show up at a Caucus. Don’t treat us as just potential. Young People are why Democrats are in the majority, please don’t dismiss us, we probably will matter in Iowa too.