The Colgate College Democrats hosted a Town Hall and Q&A with New York Congressman Antonio Delgado, where students and community members asked questions of the Congressman and alumnus of Colgate’s class of 1999 on a variety in the Persson Auditorium on Thursday, April 14.  

“Returning to Colgate to visit with students and hear about issues that are important to them, nationally and here in Madison County, is inspiring. I very much appreciate the conversation and thoughtful questions from these promising young minds, and thank the attendees for their active engagement,” Deglado said in press release from the Congressman’s communications office.

Delgado, who represents New York’s 19th Congressional District in the Albany area, shared the difficulties the pandemic posed in connecting to voters during the 2020 election but cited his ongoing engagement with the community as a way to help educate constituents on how he is working to help them. 

“I hope that students feel more connected to the district that we all go to school in, but more importantly to recognize the importance of participating in elections and advocating for the causes they believe in, be it at home or at Colgate,” Finance Director for Colgate College Democrats and junior Emma Silverman said.

Delgado began the discussion with an overview of his background, sharing how the 2016 presidential election motivated him to pursue a career in politics after a stint in music and later, a career in law.

Silverman planned the event along with senior Reed Cleland and College Democrats president junior Bryn Luedde. The three worked with Delgado Campaigns Campus Development and Field Teams to facilitate bringing Delgado to campus.

“We are immensely proud to have Congressman Delgado as a Colgate alumnus and thought that it would be a great opportunity to start to close the gap that many people feel with regard to their elected officials,” Silverman said.

The event had a large turnout that included Colgate students, professors and Hamilton community members. Audience members were encouraged to ask questions following Delgado’s introduction. Colgate Vote Project co-leader senior Eliza Lloyd felt that the event allowed students to become more involved in local politics.

“Events like this provide students with a present and tangible connection to the broader Hamilton community. Engaging with Delgado and hearing about the issues that his constituents are passionate about gives us a broader understanding of our community outside of Colgate,” Lloyd said.

Delgado encouraged students to vote in the upcoming midterm elections, set to be competitive given New York’s recent congressional redistricting. According to Delgado, Hamilton’s new district (NY-19) is up for grabs in this election, and the congressman stressed the importance of voting, especially in this era of partisan politics.

“When the new Congressional maps for New York State were unveiled earlier this year, our organization became really excited about the fact that Congressman Delgado would be running for re-election in a district that included Colgate,” Luedde said. “By showing students the path from Colgate to Congress, we hope to bring more students into political participation.”

The Colgate College Democrats hope to bring Delgado back to Colgate’s campus several times before the midterm elections on Tuesday, November 8, according to Luedde.