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Now that the battle for the presidency is over, election fever has passed and the phrase "Four More Years" isn't likely to be heard for a long time. NT's Republican and Democratic parties will focus their energies in bringing out the issues of their respective allegiances to campus next year.

"We will focus on bringing in issues that democrats nationwide feel strongly about like healthcare, women's rights and minorities' rights on campus. We'll bring a few of these things to life," said Jess Cline, Gladewater senior and communications director for the College Democrats of North Texas.

Cline said that the club has experienced an increase in membership in the last semester. Usually, he said, membership wanes after the election, this semester, the opposite has happened. Still, part of next year's agenda for the College Democrats is the increased presence of the club on campus.

The Democrats' loss of the presidential election to the Republicans may have dampened their spirits, according to Cline, but the group will carry on. "We're not happy about it ... we just pick our soul up and we go on. We live to fight another day," Cline said.

For College Republicans, President Bush's victory reaffirmed their passion.

"We saw it as kind of a realization of what we realize was probably true nationwide and on campus as well that conservatism is still the majority in the country and on campus," said John Riewe, Liberty Hill senior and NT College Republicans chairman.

Next year, according to Riewe, the College Republicans will focus on making their opinions on issues that have been brought to the public eye heard. Supporting the troops in Iraq will also be a part of their agenda.

"Just because the election's over doesn't mean that there's not plenty to do," Riewe said. Although a schedule of events for next semester isn't confirmed yet, part of the College Republicans' efforts next year will be a CD and DVD drive to support the troops. According to Riewe, the drive is already in the works.

The group will set up collection boxes in the dorms.

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