 Winning politics isn’t just about party platforms and political philosophy. Finding the right candidate to build a campaign team and shape an election strategy is every bit as important as having a solid political philosophy. That’s why it was no surprise that College Republicans across the state were tapped to run for assembly and congressional seats near their universities. Sensing that CRs were among the most organized and politically astute young politicians in the state, the California Republican Party invested in the future of conservative politics and asked several of our members to throw their hats in the ring.
Indeed, some of the great heroes of state and national politics were former CRs. Before becoming President Bush’s chief strategist, Karl Rove served two terms as the National College Republican Committee Chairman. Of course he only won the election after narrowly defeating a candidate supported by fellow CR, Morton Blackwell, founder of the Leadership Institute. In California, Assemblyman Tony Strickland met his wife at a College Republican convention several years ago. She is now running for his soon to be vacant seat. The next CR in line for the national political spotlight may be Mike Dugas, a Davis College Republican and the Co-Chair of CCR. Since announcing his candidacy for California’s 5th Congressional district, 26-year-old Mike Dugas has turned heads all across the state, and not just because of his age. The political novice is taking on a well-established incumbent, Robert Matsui, who has held his seat since 1979, a year and a half after Dugas was born. Dugas shows no hesitation though, calling Robert Matsui “old wood”, and saying, “while he’s busy raising special interest money for Democrats in other districts, I’ll be fighting for the people of Sacramento.” California’s 5th Congressional district encompasses most of metropolitan Sacramento. The district is contained entirely within the County of Sacramento, making it one of the smallest Congressional districts in California by area. According to Dugas’ campaign manager, George Andrews, “[t]he district is perfect for a good ground game.” While this may be the case, the campaign still faces an uphill battle. The district has not been drawn for a Republican. With just under 26% Republican registration, the Dugas campaign must be able to form a coalition, which would statistically have to consist of a substantial percentage of Democrats. “Our Republican registration numbers are not a problem,” stated Dugas. “63% of Californians selected a Republican in the Recall election, in spite of Republicans only composing 36% of the electorate. We hope to work off of this shift in public opinion.” Dugas’ personality and youthful spirit are part of a package the campaign hopes will turn out new, younger voters in the district as well. Mike spent most of his childhood in Boca Raton, just north of Miami in Palm Beach County. He graduated from Atlantic High School in 1995, then headed further north to Gainesville to attend the University of Florida. He studied statistics, and by the age of 22, had earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. After a 4 month internship with the Institute for Defense Analyses in Washington D.C., Mike came to California in 2000 to pursue a doctorate degree at the University of California, Davis. About 6 months into his studies, Mike joined the Davis College Republicans. His fervor for politics shone, and he was charged with organizing numerous events for the organization, including sit-ins and protests. With tactics reminiscent of 1960’s political activists, Mike made a name for himself as he pressed the university to address what he called a “liberal bias”. Since his election to the position of California College Republicans Co-Chair, he has brought his vision statewide. His most recent activist campaign was “Conservative Coming Out Day”, where conservative students across California were encouraged to be proud of their conservative beliefs. He was responsible for coordinating the efforts of 10 campuses. Not wanting to stop at the state level, Mike says that the U.S. House of Representatives is his next goal. “I want to impact Congress for the better,” said Dugas. “Congress needs a makeover, and I want to be the one to change it.” If Mike wins his seat, he will have to put his research aside, but that doesn’t seem to bother him. “I’m not one to close doors, I like to have options. When I was approached with the idea of a bid for Congress, I gladly accepted, and should the people of Sacramento choose me, I would be honored to represent them.” And his work ethic and tireless spirit show he has the ability to do so. Mike’s days begin at 9 am, when he heads to his office to do a couple hours of research on reliability economics. He is currently in the process of writing his dissertation. After lunch, Mike goes back to the office to grades papers and continues his research. He calls it quits around 4 pm, only to head home and do statistical consulting work. “I help clients in the Central Valley solve business problems using statistical analysis.” It’s this kind of real world business experience that separates Mike from his Democratic rival. All this running around takes a lot of energy, and a little extra help on the side never hurts. “I can’t believe how much sugar he manages to dissolve into his tea,” quips Joseph Fitzmorris, Chairman of the Davis College Republicans. “He’s gotten better, though. He used to put 11 packets [of sugar] in a 22 ounce cup, but after peer intervention, he’s down to 8.” Working on a team with such a tight knit group of friends brings a playful spirit to the campaign-which is good, considering the long hours they have yet to work. The rest of the time, Dugas works with his campaign manager, George Andrews, to come up with ideas on how to get his name out to 5th district voters. This work often takes them late into the night. “Mike has the ideas, it’s just a matter of educating the public,” noted Andrews. “It’s my goal to make sure that every Sacramentan knows who Mike Dugas is, and what he stands for.” After the initial shock of being entrusted with a Congressional campaign, Andrews, a 20-year-old UC Davis student, set his sights on the seat held by incumbent Robert Matsui. “I was honored to have been asked by California Republican Party leaders to run a campaign.” He added, “The success of the Davis College Republicans led the state party to recognize and reward our organization.” According to Andrews, the campaign will be focused on grassroots efforts. “We have a grassroots organization of 600 DCR members behind us. With that many volunteers, we’ll be sure to walk every precinct in the district,” stated Andrews. Members of the Davis College Republicans are excited about helping Dugas with his campaign. “I’m looking forward to helping Dugas win his race,” said Shira Rawlinson. “The city of Sacramento should be so lucky as to have a Representative of such integrity.” While George expects a tough battle, especially when it comes to fundraising, he still expects to be celebrating on November 2nd. “This is an experience that we could never have gotten in the classroom. Win or lose, we’ll be satisfied to have had the opportunity to witness the political process firsthand. We just may be a little rowdier should we win.”
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