AU College Democrats and College Republicans have formed a bipartisan campaign that aims to educate AU students on national debt issues.
The creation of the campaign marks the first time that AU Dems and AU Republicans are partnering on a policy issue, according to Ben Ritz, policy director of AU Dems. Previously, the organizations partnered on non-partisan issues such as fundraising for Hurricane Sandy victims and hosting a voter registration drive, Ritz said.
Both clubs created the campaign so they could represent AU in the “Up to Us” campaign competition, Ritz said. The competition is run and sponsored by a nonprofit called Net Impact, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU), according to the organization’s website.
The three partner organizations selected the AU Dems and Republicans among 11 other national university teams to create the most engaging campaign regarding the national debt, according to “Up to Us” Senior Manager Mary Tam. The winning team will receive $10,000 and recognition from Presdient Bill Clinton at CGIU, Tam said.
“Never, in recent memory, have we been able to come on the same side and say, ‘We agree this is an issue. It needs a bipartisan solution. We’re going to work together on it,’” Ritz said.
pseremetis@theeagleonline.com
