Democratic candidates in Michigan and the nation could retake control of Congress from Republicans if MSU students "go to work at the polls" Tuesday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said.
"What we're fighting for is honesty in government," he said early Saturday at a Kellogg Center rally. "What they have is a culture of corruption. We need to kick those people out."
At the MSU College Democrats' "Get Out the Vote" rally, the 2004 presidential candidate addressed a mostly Democratic crowd of about 150 people. Mark Meadows — candidate in the 69th District, which includes East Lansing and Okemos — and Michigan Democrat Party Chairman Mark Brewer also spoke at the rally.
Meadows, former mayor of East Lansing, told the crowd that Tuesday's elections are a chance for Michigan voters to take back the state and turn around the economy.
"The Republicans are just simply telling us that someone other than themselves are responsible for the bad economy we have here, but in reality, it is them who are responsible," Meadows said. "When you go to the polls, there's an easy way to vote, and that's straight Democratic."
Republican John Knowles, Meadows' opponent, said Sunday that blaming only one group for the state's economy is "irrational and untrue."
"It's oversimplifying the problem when you look at the problem in the state and say it's either all the Republicans or the Democrats," he said. "It's the result of several people."
Brewer said MSU is an important area for voting, especially this year.
"We have won elections because of voters on campus, and we have lost elections when Republicans suppress this campus by intimidating people and discouraging people from voting," he said. "I don't want anyone to be complacent. We're not going to let the Republicans steal another election."
College students won't be the only ones voting and deciding the government's direction, but they will be the next generation to take over politics, Dean said.
"Students are directly involved in these elections," he said. "There's no part of Michigan you can't win — I don't care how conservative it is."
Some of the first bills introduced by a Democratic majority in the U.S. Congress — despite a Republican president still in office — will increase Pell Grant amounts, provide ethics reform, undo tax breaks for oil companies and raise the national minimum wage, Dean said.
He also visited Democratic U.S. representative candidate Jim Marcinkowski, who is running against Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, and Democrats in Ann Arbor during his visit to Michigan.
Tara Clark, a political theory and constitutional democracy junior and MSU College Democrats member, said Dean's speech was "right on."
"The Democrats are really pushing hard to get some enthusiasm in the state," she said. "It being a midterm election and not a presidential election, it's really, really important that he came and provides that 'woo-haha' spirit he gets criticized for."
Nate Sherman, second vice chairman of the MSU College Republicans, said the Republican-led Michigan government has worked hard to handle all the hurdles facing Michigan, including the Single Business Tax and education funding.
"We need to focus on what the people want, and there's been a Republican House and Senate, but they've been working their butts off," he said. "We just need to be open-minded on the issues and see what's best for Michigan on the whole."
