Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Schmidt will make a campaign appearance Oct. 24 at SIUC in an attempt to rally students for what should be a hotly contested four-way March primary.

Schmidt will focus on the link between students and state government while delineating key issues in his campaign, said Becky Carroll, Schmidt’s press secretary. Carroll said the event will be more of a forum where students will have an opportunity to interact with the candidate.

You’ve got to give students a reason to vote, and that’s what he (Schmidt) will do, Carroll said. Students have to know that the next governor is looking out for their interests. It’s not government vs. the students.

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Those in the 18-to-24 age range are much wiser than people who were in school 18 to 20 years ago. They’re thinking in different ways, and they seem to know a lot about politics.

Tuition will be one of the issues discussed at the rally. Carroll said Schmidt is adamant about holding the state accountable for its policies toward higher education.

You’ve got to hold government responsible for keeping tuition down, she said. The next governor must be more proactive in keeping tuition and rates down, especially at public universities.

Carroll said Schmidt will be spending a lot of time in the Southern Illinois area, where he is little-known. Schmidt hopes to cut into the support base of opponent U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard, D-Ill., a Marion native. Schmidt’s SIUC stop is part of a statewide college and university tour that includes almost every school in Illinois.

Cass VanDerMeer, Schmidt’s campaign coordinator for Perry County and an SIUC graduate, said Schmidt’s Oct. 24 appearance is indicative of his concern for university students and the state of higher education.

He is the best candidate for the students, VanDerMeer said. He’s got a real concern for higher education.

And he’s definitely the best candidate for female students because he’s so pro-woman. He’s worked so hard to get money for domestic violence programs throughout his career, and of course he’s also strongly pro-choice.

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She also said Schmidt is not regionalist like a lot of former gubernatorial candidates, but believes that instituting economic fairness throughout the state is an integral role of a governor.

It (his stop at SIUC) indicates a real willingness on his part to understand Southern Illinois and spend time in Southern Illinois, she said.

Schmidt, former U.S. Associate Attorney General, will be the first gubernatorial hopeful to speak at the University in a campaign capacity.

He joins former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, retired U.S. Attorney Jim Burns and Poshard in the quest to capture the Democratic nomination.

College Democrats say Schmidt’s engagement is confirmed for noon, but the location is still to be determined. He likely will speak at the Student Center, though nothing is official.

Schmidt was appointed to the Justice Department by President Bill Clinton in July 1994.

During his tenure as U.S. Associate Attorney General, Schmidt was responsible for the devising and implementation of the 1994 Crime Bill, the Violence Against Women Act, revising criminal records for the enforcement of Brady Bill gun laws and establishing a national sex offender registry.

Schmidt also was appointed overseer of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division where he initiated the implementation of the Motor Voter Law, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the National Task Force on Church Arson.

Schmidt served as Ambassador and Chief Negotiator for the world trade talks in Geneva from 1993 to 1994. He was successful in brokering one of the largest world trade agreements in history.