UT’s College Democrats will help the Tennessee Democratic Party rally for votes in Tennessee’s 12th District Saturday, according to Zac Wright, club president.
“The ratio (of Democrats to Republicans) is very close in Nashville right now,” Wright said at the organization’s meeting Tuesday. “I guarantee the race will be won or lost by the number of voters college democrats touch.”
The special election is for the vacant seat left by Congressman Lincoln Davis, D-5th District. Wright said the club would work to influence the vote for the Democratic candidate. He said he hoped to reach at least 1,000 voters in Roane County. He encouraged anyone interested to help the party to contact the College Democrats.
UT’s chapter of College Democrats will participate with a start-up chapter at local Pellissippi State Community College. The school sent representative Mike Lamb to address the UT chapter in hopes of working together in the future.
“We are both in the same area, and it would make sense to work together,” said Lamb, a student at Pellissippi State. “Since we are just getting started, we would appreciate any help you can offer.”
At their meeting on Tuesday, the party members also heard from John Ray Clemmons, the Tennessee Democratic Party political director. He encouraged the students to participate in political internships.
“If you have a desire to enter the political arena, you have to get hands-on experience,” Clemmons said. “Everyone in (Washington), D.C. is really on the same educational level, but the ones that get ahead are the ones with experience.”
Clemmons encouraged the UT Democrats to apply early and said there was a wealth of good internships to be found locally and in the nation’s capital.
Wright took two internships while in college and said the experience was invaluable. Wright, who spent time filing letters and then writing press releases as an intern, said the experience of seeing the inside of a Congressman’s office opened his eyes to several opportunities.
After serving as an intern for former Vice President Al Gore’s campaign for three weeks in 2000, Wright was called up to serve as the assistant for the national Democratic Party spokesman.
He became the youngest national staff member at the age of 20.
“I came in a very good situation and made a lot of contacts,” Wright said. “You can’t put a price on knowing what you will learn in that situation.”
College Democrat member Faith Nichols said she was interested in what Clemmons said and said she would likely apply for an internship to find a way to serve the party.
“I really want to get in there and get my hands dirty,” Nichols said. “I just want to get as much experience as I can. Hopefully, that will open some doors in the future.”
