Following extensive media coverage of controversial comments made by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama last week about rural Americans, experts anticipate Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. will fare well in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary, slated for April 22.
The senator from Illinois last week described small-town voters as people who "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them ... as a way to explain their frustrations."
Politics Prof. Larry Sabato noted that if Clinton "wins [Pennsylvania] by a wide margin, then she has capitalized on Obama's unfortunate comments about bitter rural voters."
Sabato also noted that if Clinton, who is expected to win in Pennsylvania, were to lose the primary election, she would be out of the race.
University Democrats President Sarah Buckley, who said she does not endorse either candidate, said if Clinton wins the Pennsylvania primary, as political pundits expect, it will not give her the necessary advantage to seize the Democratic nomination.
"Winning Pennsylvania might give her an edge in convincing superdelegates to vote for her," Buckley said. "But it's nearly impossible for the pledged delegates there to make any difference."
With regard to Obama's comment about rural voters, Buckley said she doubts that it will have a long-term effect on Obama's campaign after the Pennsylvania primary.
"By the time we reach the general election, I think it will be forgotten as a whole," Buckley said.
Sabato, on the other hand, disagreed.
"This was a serious gaffe by Obama, as even his own people privately agree," Sabato said. "If he's the nominee, it will cause him heartburn in the general election."
While Democrats wait to see the results of the upcoming Pennsylvania primary, College Republicans Chairman Savanna Rutherford said the close Democratic race has allowed Republicans, already decided on Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to move forward.
"We're waiting on the Democratic Party to decide who their nominee will be," Rutherford said. "It's giving McCain a chance to get his campaign started while the Democrats are fighting amongst themselves."
Because it is taking more time for the Democrats to secure their nominee, Buckley said she is concerned about whether divisions within the party will affect voters in the election.
"I'm afraid people are becoming too radicalized for the candidate they support," Buckley said. "It might have an effect on whether supporters for Clinton will support Obama [in the general election], and whether supporters for Obama will support Clinton."
Both Rutherford and Buckley said they expect enthusiasm for the election to rise as the election gets closer, though Buckley said there has been "some fatigue" following the continuous Democratic nomination process.
Sabato, however, said the results of student and young voter involvement can only be seen after the election.
"The proof is in the November pudding," Sabato said. "We'll see how many young people vote in the general election; every indication we have suggests they are especially interested in this election cycle"
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