John Kerry’s victory in the New Hampshire primary locked him in as the Democratic presidential front-runner, causing a shake-up among student political groups at Iowa State.

Three weeks ago, Students for Kerry struggled to support a candidate who stood in Howard Dean’s shadow. Now they’re proudly supporting the Democratic front-runner who’s riding a tidal wave of success — including Wednesday’s endorsement from Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack.

Kerry, a Massachusetts senator, has also become the target of criticism from other candidates — a position Dean held three weeks ago.

“The main difference is expectations are much higher for our success,” said Drew Larson, vice president of Students for Kerry and junior in accounting. “While there is little we can do here, everyone I talk to from the next states says there is more energy, excitement, and determination.”

Larson said the key to Kerry’s victory was the undecided voters who voted for him in the 11th hour.

“Kerry and [Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.] used their more positive messages and visions to win these undecideds, with Kerry’s experience giving him an edge,” he said.

While Students for Kerry have new confidence, Cyclones for Dean feel a sense of urgency after the former Vermont governor’s double-digit loss to Kerry.

“I knew Dean had a lot of support in New Hampshire, so I was disappointed in his performance,” said Jesse Wilcox, president of Cyclones for Dean and senior in biology. “I thought he would pick up more of the independent vote.”

Dean shook up his campaign for president Wednesday by firing campaign manager Joe Trippi, who was credited with taking Dean from being a no-name candidate to the top of the national polls for a long stretch in late 2003.

Wilcox said that although Dean’s standing in the polls has changed, the campaign’s basic strategy hasn’t. Dean volunteers will continue to write letters to voters in other states and keep Iowans interested in his campaign.

He said Dean’s newfound status as a chaser isn’t anything new for the campaign, because Dean started the race as a long shot.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy to get him into office,” Wilcox said. “We knew it would be more of a struggle, so I somewhat anticipated this, especially with several people running for president.”

While Kerry and Dean’s campaign strategies have changed, little has changed for Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who has failed to rise from the bottom tier of the polls. Cassi Johnson, president of Students for Kucinich, said her level of political commitment won’t change, even if Kucinich drops out of the presidential race. She said she believed in Kucinich’s platform before he was a candidate.

“It’s less about his candidacy and more about his ideology,” she said. “That won’t stop if his campaign is over.”