Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick paid a visit to Tufts late Friday afternoon to recognize the contributions of college Democrats across the state to his re−election campaign.
Patrick, joined by several prominent state Democratic Party officials, including Chairman John Walsh, State Sen. Ben Downing and State Rep. Carl Sciortino (LA '00), briefly addressed the College Democrats of Massachusetts over pizza at a small reception in the Alumnae Lounge. Before an assortment of college students from several area schools, the governor acknowledged what he called the "grassroots" support of his followers, took questions from students and outlined the continuing priorities of his administration.
"The College Democrats made an incredible difference in this campaign for me and for all the Democrats that were running, and I appreciate that so much," Patrick said at the event. "I just wanted you to know that, and I wanted you to hear it directly from me."
College Democrats of Massachusetts is the official higher−education branch of the Democratic Party in Massachusetts, working to get Democratic candidates elected on the behalf of college students statewide.
On Friday, student representatives from Amherst College, Smith College, Boston College, Boston University and Stonehill College joined Tufts Democrats and Tufts Students for Deval Patrick to hear the governor speak. Tufts hosted the event on behalf of the entire College Democrats of Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Recovery and Reinvestment Director Jeffrey Simon was also in attendance.
In his remarks, Patrick highlighted the importance of young people in the political process, citing Downing and Sciortino as examples. Downing is the Honorary Chairman of the College Democrats of Massachusetts.
"These are leaders in the Massachusetts legislature, and they're young," Patrick said.
The governor spoke briefly about generational responsibility in politics, saying that the current generation of politicians must work to make things better for future generations.
"We in our time have to do things, make choices, make investments, make sacrifices that will leave a better community, [a] better Commonwealth, a better country for those who come behind us," Patrick said.
Patrick went on to thank the college students who helped in his return to the State House. "The … lesson from this campaign seems to be never, ever underestimate the power of the grassroots," he said. "There is something to me so logical, so intuitive, about the power of going to your neighbor, or to a total stranger, and in a very personal way inviting them to participate."
Patrick credited the college students in attendance for the sincerity of their effort.
"You carried that through this campaign … and that's why we won, when everyone else said we shouldn't," Patrick said. "The only way to run a campaign, in my view, is being willing to lose," he said. "Stand for what you believe in, and be willing to lose."
After the governor concluded his remarks, Walsh addressed the students in attendance, crediting them for Democratic successes at all levels in the election.
"There's no question that the College Democrats of Massachusetts are a vibrant and engaged organization that made a significant difference in the election in November," Walsh said.
Walsh praised the college−level get−out−the−vote efforts of student groups that kept Massachusetts in Democratic control despite a nationwide swing in favor of the Republican Party. "Your effort was why we won up and down the ballot," he said.
"All of these folks worked on the campaign; many of them I've met in the course of the campaign, and they're inspiring," Patrick told the Daily after the event. "They put a lot into it, even during school time, without sacrificing their work."
Patrick agreed that student mobilization efforts contributed to recent Democratic electoral successes. "We had higher−than−normal turnout in this campaign because went out and got the vote — they went out and persuaded people that they should care about the outcome, not just for the candidate they were pushing, but for themselves," he said.
The event was a "fantastic" recognition of students' campaign efforts, Sciortino said. "I think for the governor of a state to come to college students and talk about the empowerment of [students] in the political process is something that's inspiring, and I hope students got something out of that," Sciortino told the Daily.
Student organizers were satisfied with the event.
"I think he's a wonderful speaker, and it was so great to have him … on our own turf," Tufts Democrats Vice President Bronwen Raff said.
Raff, a sophomore, introduced the governor at the event alongside College Democrats of Massachusetts President Kate Moore.
Raff said the Alumnae Lounge's smaller size provided a more intimate atmosphere. "It was way more personal than I would have expected," Raff said of the event.
Tufts Students for Deval Patrick co−Chair Josh Friedmann, a senior, said he was not surprised that Tufts recorded more volunteer hours for the campaign than any other school.
"Even though we were competing against schools that were many times larger, we had a group of kids that was so excited to reach out and organize and talk to their friends," Friedmann said. "These were kids who really loved his message."
Senior Ian Hainline, the group's other co−chair, was impressed that Patrick took the time to speak with students. "This is the Governor of Massachusetts thanking college Democrats, and the fact that this event is held at Tufts — you couldn't ask for more in terms of recognition of the role that we played," he said.
