The results of the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries are in – and Louisiana’s own primary is right around the corner. As election buzz is becoming louder and louder, some students on campus are trying their hardest to promote their favorite candidates.

In an election year with such a large number of candidates, jazz senior James Westfall aligns himself only with republican Rep. Ron Paul.

During the first GOP debate last March, Westfall heard Paul’s platform on foreign policy and free-market economy and decided to support his campaign. Since then, he has led a panel discussing Ron Paul for the Economics Club and is currently educating people – especially democrats interested in changing their party affiliation – about the upcoming Louisiana primary through e-mail.

“Everyone knew a lot about Ron Paul in the Economics Club,” he said. “I kind of felt like I was preaching to the choir.”

Westfall also invited supporters of Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama whom he knew in the music department to watch the panel, “and nobody could really disagree with it,” he said. “They could only come to the conclusion to agree to disagree.”

“The thing about Barack,” Westfall said, “is that he can bring in an intimidating presence. I think people want that, they still want to be intimidated a little bit … Ron Paul looks like a weak, frail man – he’s old, he’s shaking, and when he gets passionate his voice gets really high. But his ideas are what’s powerful.”

Roger White, the faculty adviser for the Loyola Society for Civic Engagement, a non-partisan political group, said the majority of students in LSCE seem to be for Paul or Obama. But there are other campaigners on campus as well.

Alex Guiden, music industry freshman, spent the days before the Iowa caucuses calling up residents in Iowa and New Hampshire about John Edwards.

Guiden has supported Edwards since 2004 and admires his policies on healthcare and Iraq.

He participated in phone banking, which tells supporters who to call and what to say. “A lot of people were saying that Obama was their first choice, and then Edwards after that.”

Despite Edwards’ inability to gain a win in caucuses or the primaries, Guiden says he remains optimistic because there are still important states to be won.

LSCE is planning a campus-wide caucus on Feb. 13. Students do not need to be registered voters or even U.S. citizens, only registered students at Loyola. Before the caucus, there will also be tables set up in the Danna Center to allow students to submit ideas for resolutions to debate on as well, such as healthcare and foreign policy issues.

The only stipulation is that the caucus will be for students only.

“The faculty have to keep their big mouths shut,” White said.

Katie Urbaszewski can be reached at [email protected]