As President of the College Democrats, I’ve found that a few students on campus and in College Democrats are committed to engaging with the political process and doing the work of canvassing, door-knocking, or anything needed to win an election. However, increasingly over the past four years, I’ve observed a tendency of left-leaning students to see themselves as unimportant or unheard and to disengage from the electoral process. 

WashU College Republicans (WUCR) and WashU College Democrats co-hosted their Campus Crossfire Debate in Tisch Commons, which led to discussion over immigration, free speech, the economy, and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Tuesday, Nov. 14. 

Washington University ranked No. 135 in College Pulse’s 2024 College Free Speech Rankings amongst 248 ranked colleges. The university received a score of 45.26 out of 100 points, leading its speech climate to be categorized as average.

The event, Jones’ first on campus since becoming mayor in April, was organized by the College Democrats, the Roosevelt Network and the Pre-Law Society.

The College Democrats and Republicans debated a variety of issues at the 2021 Campus Crossfire event

Eight Washington University political scientists signed an open letter calling for the removal of President Donald Trump either through impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment due to his refusal to accept legitimate election results and incitement of violence at the United States Capitol last week.

A streamlined voting process enabled a smooth Election Day for on-campus Washington University undergraduate voters, as Republicans swept Missouri’s elections and won a swing House district just west of the University.

The 2020 Campus Crossfire debate featured a fast-paced discussion with few areas of overlap between representatives from the College Democrats and College Republicans.

As club presidents of the College Republicans and College Democrats, respectively, this election cycle has pushed them towards partisan involvement in local and national elections.

There is no shortage of political opportunities this fall, and the College Republicans and College Democrats are taking full advantage of this to engage students with local and national campaigns.