More than a month after the much-hyped Republican Iowa Straw Poll, the two prominent candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination will make their appearances in Ames.

Both Vice President Al Gore and Sen. Bill Bradley will make stops at Iowa State this week, as the two contenders vie for students’ support in their quests for the White House.

“I’m excited that ISU has the pull to bring the two candidates to this campus,” said Molly Klein, president of ISU Democrats and sophomore in political science. “We are one of the few universities to get both here during the same week.”

Bradley will be making the first visit to ISU today, and Gore is scheduled to speak Saturday.

Bradley will be giving a lecture titled “Latinos and the Future of American Ethnic Relations” tonight at 6:30 in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. His presentation is part of the Presidential Caucus Series, which was designed to give students an opportunity to hear all the candidates before the Iowa caucuses.

The former basketball player is the only candidate so far to accept the request of Hector Avalos, chairman of the department of Latino studies, to come speak at ISU on Latino-related issues. He also will talk about the central issues in his campaign platform.

“This is the first time in the history of ISU that a presidential candidate has spoken on Latino issues,” said Avalos, associate professor of religious studies. “It’s important for candidates to be familiar with the diversity within the Latino community itself. It will be a good opportunity to hear his views on ethnic diversity and the Latino community.”

As for Gore’s visit, Sarah Leonard, member of Cyclones for Gore, said this will be a chance for people to see a different side of Gore.

“A lot of students that I’ve talked to think that Gore is stiff and dull, so this will be a good opportunity for them to find out what an engaging speaker he is,” said Leonard, junior in journalism and mass communication. “He’s funny, amazingly intelligent and he knows the issues inside and out.”

Gore will speak at 12:20 p.m. Saturday at the south side of the Campanile.

Those interested in attending the event should arrive no later than 11:45 a.m. Food and beverages will be served.

From here, Gore will travel to a Jefferson Jackson Day fund raiser being held in Des Moines, which also is on Saturday. Bradley also will attend the event, making it the first joint appearance by the candidates.

Bradley’s visit is part of the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration and is being sponsored by U.S. Latino/a Studies Program, Hispanic Heritage Month Planning Committee, Latino Faculty and Staff Association and Committee on Lectures.