Students flocked to the caucuses Monday night in one of the largest student turnouts in recent history, and even though not all of their candidates came away winners, ISU student political activists said they are optimistic about their candidates’ campaigns.

Garrett Toay, chairman for the Bush Campaign, said he was extremely pleased with the turnout in his precinct.

“The amount of people who took a half an hour out of their time to come was amazing,” said Toay, senior in agricultural business.

“I was extremely pleased with the turnout. I was surprised that my precinct had that well of a turnout for being a student district,” Toay said.

Toay said he spent the last week helping with the Bush phone-banks, canvassing voters and helping to set up Bush’s events at Iowa State.

“I think that the fact that Bush split his time between Iowa and New Hampshire will pay off. The polls will separate him from the rest of the pack,” Toay said.

Steve Skutnik, Iowa campus coordinator for the Forbes campaign, said he was pleasantly surprised by Forbes’ showing in the polls and thought Forbes fared well in the student precincts.

Skutnik, junior in physics, said he believes his candidate will do well in the New Hampshire primary.

“I see Mr. Forbes benefiting quite a bit from the Iowa caucuses,” he said.

Skutnik said Forbes will give stump speeches and attend town-hall meetings in the coming days in New Hampshire in preparation for the Feb. 1 primary.

“I think Forbes will parallel [former Republican Pat] Buchanan’s 1996 campaign in New Hampshire. Buchanan had the support of the conservative Manchester Union Newspaper and won. History will repeat itself,” he said.

John Klein, member of Students for Bradley, said he went to the Towers Residence Hall precincts, and the student turnout was large.

Klein, freshman in pre-computer science, said he was happy with his candidate’s showing in the caucuses.

“We were expecting Bradley to get 28 percent, and he got seven points higher than that. That is pretty good considering he does not have the established support that Gore does,” he said.

Klein said he cannot be sure if Bradley’s results in the Iowa Caucus will carry over to New Hampshire, but he sees Monday night’s results as being minimal.

Andy Tofilon, member of Cyclones for Gore, said Gore is appealing to voters, and it showed in the polls.

“I was surprised. I expected over 50 percent, but 63 percent is huge. I have always been optimistic, but I was surprised,” said Tofilon, sophomore in pre-journalism and mass communication.

Tofilon said he believes Gore will benefit from his strong showing in Iowa when voters go to the polls in New Hampshire.

“I believe he will get a moderate boost from Iowa. Historically, New Hampshire has always respected Iowa polls, and they will take it under consideration in their primary,” he said.