Senator Tim Kaine, vice president running mate of Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, will deliver a campaign address Tuesday, Nov. 1 at Lawrence University.
The former Virginia governor will speak in the Somerset Room of the Warch Campus Center, 711 E. Boldt Way, beginning at approximately 2 p.m.
Attendance is limited and advance registration is required. The Lawrence community will be guaranteed admission for one half of the total capacity allowed. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. All registrants’ names will be placed on a list that will be checked at the door. Lawrence registrants will be required to show a valid LU ID to be admitted.
Due to the anticipated capacity turnout, this will be a standing-only event.
By institutional policy, Lawrence does not endorse or invite political candidates to campus, but when approached by them, policies allow for the booking of such events as part of the college’s educational mission, provided more than half of all spaces are available for students, faculty and staff. The college does encourage students to experience first-hand the political process by participating in candidate visits.
Kaine, who formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for vice president on July 28, is one of 30 people in history who have served as a mayor, governor and a U.S. Senator. He served as mayor of Richmond, Va., from 1998–2001; lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2002–2006; and governor of Virginia from 2006-2010. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012.
“Although Clinton is polling ahead here in Wisconsin, the 8th Congressional district is the state’s only swing district and only one of about 20 in the nation,” said Arnold Shober, associate professor of government at Lawrence. “Kaine’s visit shows that national Democrats recognize the importance of this district for their chances in the House.”
Earlier this year, Bill Clinton became the first former president ever to visit Lawrence. William Howard Taft was the only sitting president to ever visit Lawrence (1911). Three future presidents have paid visits to the Lawrence campus: Richard Nixon (1959); John F. Kennedy (1960) and George H.W. Bush (1988). Only one first lady — Michelle Obama — has ever spoken at Lawrence (2012).
About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.
