Along with homework, classes, and extracurriculars, many Hamilton students have worked on local campaigns this semester as the 2018 midterm elections approach.
Hamilton College is a part of New York’s 22nd Congressional District. Claudia Tenney, a member of the Republican Party, currently represents the district in the House of Representatives. She is running for reelection this year against New York Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, a member of the Democratic Party.
Both politicians have had Hamilton College students work on their campaigns this academic year and over the summer through Professor of Government Philip Klinkner’s Electoral Politics class. Students had the choice of volunteering for either the Brindisi campaign or the Tenney campaign.
“On a local level there has been a lot of energy in the Democratic base,” said Sam Gordon ’19. “Trump’s election has frustrated many voters and caused them to start involving themselves in the local campaigns, Democratic committees, and organizations, like Indivisible Mohawk Valley. Additionally, the primary elections on a local level were very exciting.”
Some students found that despite a perceived era of political polarization, bipartisanship has still characterized some aspects of appeals to voters in the 22nd District.
“There is a lot of energy and support for Anthony’s campaign. He is from Utica and has deep ties to the community here,” said Gordon. “Democrats and Republicans have been happy with the work he has done in the State Assembly. People are voting for the first time because they believe in Anthony’s mission.”
Ben Rhind ’19, who has worked in the field for the Brindisi campaign and also serves as president of the Hamilton College Democrats, agrees with Gordon.
“I’ve talked to people who say they’ve never voted Democrat, but they see all the work Anthony has done for the Utica area in the State Assembly, and they see what Representative Tenney has done in Congress, and they’re willing to cross the aisle for the first time,” said Rhind. “It’s been inspiring to see that with an honest message and a well-run campaign, you can break through that partisan divide.”
Students on the Brindisi campaign say that common voter concerns do not necessarily reflect those on the national level.
“I think there is a real disconnect between the national political media and what things really look like on the ground. People here aren’t focused on a caravan of immigrants, they are focused on how they will lose their healthcare if the ACA is repealed,” said Rhind.
“Understandably, a lot of people here feel like our political system has forgotten about this area, and Claudia Tenney’s voting record and refusal to host open town halls has really contributed to that frustration.”
Gordon added, “There is a huge difference between being in class and learning about American politics or reading the news, compared to going up to someone’s home and speaking face-to-face about their concerns,” said Gordon.
The hands-on nature of the campaign has proved beneficial to students interested in pursuing careers in public policy, electoral politics, government, or other related areas. For Gordon, the experience has been positive in more ways than one.
“I have been pleasantly surprised by how many women I got to work with on the campaign staff. Politics, and campaigns in particular, have traditionally been male-dominated environments,” she said. “Seeing this many women excelling in the field that I am interested in pursuing after graduation has been very encouraging!”
Gordon adds that she thinks it is vital for Hamilton students to participate in local politics as much, if not even more than, their involvement in their hometowns.
“We live here for 9 months out of the year for 4 years. That is a long time! I believe that it is close-minded to think that we don’t have an impact on this community,” she said.
“NY-22 is a swing district. The general makeup of this district makes it so our vote statistically matters more than it would in other parts of the country. Local politics in Oneida County affects my everyday life in a much more tangible way than the outcome of my hometown elections.” Rhind echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of young people pursuing support for the politics and ideologies that matter to them and their generation.
“It’s become clear that if we sit back and leave politics to older generations, the results will be disastrous. It’s easy to feel disgusted with politics, to feel like this system does nothing for us and is impossible to change, but we do have the power to hold our representatives accountable for their actions,” he said.
“There is so much at stake in these elections: the future of our climate, protections for the LGBTQ community, protecting people’s right to affordable healthcare, holding the Trump administration accountable for their blatant corruption, and so much more.”
Local campaigns have offered students the opportunity to be directly involved in the College’s community at-large through participating in local political campaigns and familiarizing themselves with the surrounding area.
“My ‘Hamilton College experience’ has been deepened by my involvement on the Brindisi campaign. I have formed a much stronger connection with this area and the people who have lived here for generations,” said Gordon.
“It is one of my biggest regrets, as a senior, that I didn’t start doing work like this sooner. I would encourage students of all years and all majors to seek out ways to involve themselves in the local community in any capacity, not just politics.”
Students working for the Claudia Tenney campaign were unavailable for comment.
