John Copley and Calvin Voorhees —Guest Writers 

The Dordt Republicans are coming back. We used to be one of the largest clubs on campus and had a major impact on the political climate of Northwest Iowa. In 2016, we managed to convince former President Donald J. Trump to visit Dordt’s campus in 2016 during his first campaign for presidency. During the 2020 election cycle, the Dordt Republicans helped Randy Feenstra get elected to his first term as Iowa’s District Four representative in congress. This was all under the leadership of some great individuals, but those in leadership have all graduated. The Dordt Republicans have gone stagnant, with few meetings, little engagement, and only one event last semester. Now, the club is under new leadership, and we are trying to get the club back to where it once was. 

Contrary to common belief, Dordt will benefit from having increased student engagement in politics. Many people have expressed concern about the radical nature of modern politics; we believe that this club’s presence on campus will be a moderating force in its message. We are about conserving American liberty, upholding biblical values, and creating sensible policy. The club seeks to facilitate a healthy atmosphere for students to come together and discuss the issues that they see in our modern American society. This club also aims to think about every issue through a Christian mindset. Our goal is to have Christ before politics. Having Christ and God’s law as our first consideration can make politics a much less toxic endeavor. The club would not just talk about what we see as problems in our society, but the hope is that we would be able to come together as a club and come up with ways that we can implement real change in our communities. There is a lot to discuss, like what future does Trump still have in the party? If not, who is another 2024 candidate? What should be the conservative response to climate change? What does the pro-life movement in Iowa look like now? 

We have plenty planned for the semester, the most significant being the invitation of big-name speakers to campus. This is especially important because it does not just impact the club, but it impacts the campus and surrounding area. Dordt can become a place where speakers choose to visit. The official Instagram page which used to have hundreds of followers has also been inactive since 2016, so look out for a restarted social media presence. Beyond these actions, the club would come up with more activities during our introductory meetings. 

The Dordt Democrats are similarly inactive. In order to elevate discussion on campus, it would be beneficial to reactivate that club. This would encourage both more and better political discourse among Dordt students. Most if not all these points, ideas, and plans can also apply to Democrats on campus, and we the Dordt Republicans encourage Democrats to express their opinions as well. The political climate at Dordt will be all the better to have both parties represented. 

Now is a great time to get politically active. Even though elections are far away, discussions and organizing are still presently needed. Not only is participation in elections our democratic duty, but part of our calling to minister to every part of creation. With the official support of the Iowa College Republicans, we in leadership are very excited about the direction that our club is moving in. 

Contributed photo