This week Iowa State is hosting the Fourth Annual Summer Workshop of ISU’s Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics.

Eighteen high school students are visiting ISU to learn more about various aspects of the political arena from the media, political scientists and political strategists.

The first event of the conference was a panel discussion about the political process. The high school students were addressed by a panel of political candidates and campaign aides. Panelists included Democratic Congressional candidate Connie McBurney; Iowa Rep. Beverly Nelson; Will Lynch, campaign manager for Republican Congressional candidate Mike Mahaffey; Ron Langston, Republican candidate for the Iowa Senate; and Caroline Sanchez, field staffer for the Tom Harkin campaign and ISU student.

The panelists talked to the students about starting a campaign and keeping a campaign going, political action committees (PACs) and the negativity of political campaigns.

Langston said that sometimes “you have to surrender yourself to the campaign.” He said that he has done this by knocking on doors and fundraising. Because he is running against an incumbent, he said, he must work harder to compete at a higher level.

McBurney said her public image came from working as a journalist at KCCI-TV for 24 years. Reporting gave her the chance to learn about all sorts of Iowans in a nonpolitical arena.

Nelson said her key to a successful campaign has been a good committee that she can count on to get the little things done.

The panelists also discussed PACs, which give candidates money to fund their election bids. Although most PACs are large groups of individuals pooling their resources to stand up for themselves politically, some PACs have been trying to use their money to influence legislation.

McBurney said that PACs and candidates both approach each other. “They come to you if you represent their ideals,” she said, and candidates agree with PACs that support the candidate’s ideals.

Lynch said that although some PACs form to solidify the support of many individuals, some PACs become “too politically entrenched.” He said more candidates have formed their own PACs to fund their campaigns.

Finally, the students asked questions about mudslinging and negative campaigns.

“The media is only a reflection of the society around them,” Lynch said. He said the media reports what the public wants.

The three candidates on the panel said they have all made their campaigns positive. Langston said there is a difference between negative advertising and contrasting advertising. “I think the candidate has to set the tone,” he said.

McBurney said that politics is associated with cynicism and negativity. “You’ve all heard ‘That’s politics. You should expect it,'” McBurney said. “You shouldn’t have to expect it.”

The conference, which lasts through Saturday, will also discuss polling in political campaigns, campaign school, political advertising and campaigns in cyberspace.