Roadtripping Republicans hit KY aiming to show youth support for McCain, GOP

According to the college-age Republicans travelling cross-country as part of the "Where is the Red?" tour, the media often gets it wrong about the youth vote.

"Mainstream media, a lot of times, is kind of deceptive because they are always talking about how young people are voting Democratic and how excited young people are for Barack Obama," said Christie Jackson, a 22 year-old recent graduate of Clemson University. "But young people are really excited for John McCain and other Republicans too."

In an effort to demonstrate Republicans have a youth movement of their own while also helping out Republicans in swing districts, Jackson and two other young Republicans have been crisscrossing the country as part of the tour since mid-June.

"We want to try to show people the Republican party is a coast-to-coast party," said Jackson. "There is a youth element of it that is active, very hardworking and that is trying very hard to get Republicans elected in the fall."

Jeremy Harrell, a Miami University graduate, and Kerry Donnelly, a student at Fordham University in New York City comprise the rest of the "Where is the Red?" group.

Their trip is a project of the College Republican National Committee, where each of the roadtrippers worked as an intern last summer.

Their summer vacations this year have now morphed into a full schedule of campaigning for Republican candidates and incumbents in targeted districts across the country.

According to Jackson, they are hitting swing districts with the intention that their visit may make an impact on close races.

"We are definitely making every effort to stop in as many competitive districts as possible so our efforts can make a difference," said Jackson.

The trio first hit Kentucky on July 15 to work for U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Hebron) in northern Kentucky. While Davis' 4th Congressional District seat is not particularly considered vulnerable, the tour moved on this week to stops with two Kentucky Republican Congressional candidates with potential fights on their hands - state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) in the 2nd District and former U.S. Rep. Anne Northup (R-Louisville) in the 3rd. For those campaigns, the three travellers worked in campaign offices, assembled mailers, and generally provided an extra hand.

"We were thrilled to have their support and wish them the best of luck as they continue to travel the country to help get Republicans elected," said Scott Will, Northup's campaign manager.

During their stop in Louisville with Northup, the "Where is the Red?" crew had lunch with the candidate and discussed some of the various campaign tactics they had witnessed during their month-and-a-half journey.

While visiting Georgia's 1st Congressional District, the three were invited to the home of U.S. Rep. Kingston.

In South Carolina's 2nd District, they were introduced to friends and family of U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.).

Jackson says that sort of interaction with politicians level has been one of the highlights of their trip.

"It's nice to see a personal side of candidates, just to see them not so in their element in DC, but while they are home and with their families," said Jackson.

The tour will continue to mid-August, with the coast-to-coast journey ultimately ending in Newport Beach, California. Then the group hopes to head to the Republican National Convention in Minnesota.