Dodge Republicans make last push

  With the general election just two days away, Dodge City High School senior Eric Norton wanted to hear what local Republican candidates had to say.
    Norton, who will be voting in his first election this year, got his chance during Sunday's Republican rally at the Village Square Mall. Besides hearing the candidates' messages, he got to meet Congressman Jerry Moran and U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts for the first time.
    "We got a picture with them and got to talk to them, and we had a really nice conversation," Norton said afterwards.
    An estimated 200 people flocked to the rally, where Roberts and Moran urged them to vote on Tuesday and touched on several key issues. Many people wore T-shirts backing either Roberts or Kansas Rep. Pat George, a Dodge City Republican who is seeking re-election to the Kansas House.
    Some children waded through the crowd, offering people stickers touting either Roberts or the Republican presidential ticket of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin.
    A wailing child walked by the edge of the crowd as Roberts began speaking, prompting the senator to joke, "He found out how much he's going to have to pay on the national debt with Obama — for the rest of his life."
    Turning serious, Roberts said that the nation is at a crossroads this year. He went on to list some topics that he said voters should consider before casting their ballots: the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, tax relief, energy policy and national security.
    "I just want to tell you one more time — and you've heard me say it before, and I'll say it again," he said. "America is not safe. There are people — second-generation terrorists, first-generation terrorists — that wish to cause our country great harm. We must keep our guard up."
    Moran said he worried about what might happen if the Democratic candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, wins the White House and other Democrats capture congressional races.
    "I don't know how much the audience today will determine the outcome of the election on Tuesday for president," he said. "But my greatest fear is that this country will not be well-served with a Democrat president, a Democrat House and a Democrat Senate."
    Moran said voters could help preserve a conservative voice in Congress by electing Roberts to another term.
    The candidates' remarks satisfied Lois Teegardin, a Dodge City resident and registered Republican.
    "I thought they did real well," she said. "I agree with what they said."
    Teegardin predicted that the Republican Party would do well on Tuesday, based on her feelings and intuition.
    Norton, the first-time voter, said he attended the rally so he could gather more information about the party and the candidates before he votes. He added that he was pleased by what he heard.
    "It was great, really great," he said. "Very inspirational and very informative."

    Reach Eric Swanson at (620) 408-9917 or e-mail him at eric.swanson@dodgeglobe.com.