"I didn’t know how involved I would get, or how much I would care," said Bobbie Fults of her work for her uncle Don Fults’ campaign in the Republican primary for mayor. She is completing a six-credit-hour internship at Western Illinois University working as his campaign secretary.

Emily Davis, daughter of opposing Republican mayoral candidate Beth Davis, is involved in her mother’s campaign while doing a 12-credit-hour internship in the office of Illinois 50th District Sen. Larry Bomke. Both women are junior political science majors at Western.

The two "see each other every single night," according to Fults. They compare notes generally but are careful not to talk too specifically about the campaign. The outcome of the primary will not be a problem, however, because each says she will be able to give sincere congratulations if the other side wins. "I think Beth Davis is a wonderful person, and nothing can come between Emily’s and my friendship," Fults affirms.

Davis, who has worked for Bomke for three summers, hopes her internship will also include work in the Springfield office of U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald this summer.

She said the local campaign has held few surprises. "However, politics isn’t an exact field," she added. "You have to be always on your toes when you run for office. Be alert and ready for anything and everything. Stick up for what you believe in. Above all, keep it positive."

Fults said she knew she would attend campaign events but not every event. She has been surprised by the number of activities and demands on the candidates’ — and their campaign workers’ — time.

Both Fults and Davis have spent time delivering campaign literature, posting signs in yards, making phone calls and meeting the public. They have also made suggestions regarding statements to the media.

Both have used information from college class work to advise their respective candidates. Davis said the book "How to Run a Local Election," read for a Campaigns and Elections course, was especially helpful. Using insights from the course and book, she became a consultant to her mother.

Fults also mentioned a particular book, an autobiography of the legendary Chicago mayor Richard Daley. She said she shared some of Daley’s positive accomplishments and the issues he addressed with Don Fults, who appreciates having a political science major to give "a different spin" on the campaign. She acts as a sounding board for him and said, "I get so excited every time he takes my advice. He treats me as an equal."

The two women studied three courses together last semester, but Campaigns and Elections was not one of them. Fults said her most relevant course should have been Illinois Politics, but that dealt primarily with Chicago politics. In fact, she is devoting much of the 18-page paper required for her internship to contrasting small-town politics and what she learned about Chicago. For her required journal she is saving all news articles about the campaign and excerpts from the lincolnil.com message board to show the variety of reports and opinions.

While Bobbie Fults is taking two online classes to complete her semester’s load, Emily Davis is earning a full 12 credit hours for her internship and therefore must write a paper twice as long. Her paper, however, will be devoted to comparing her classroom learning with the realities of Bomke’s legislative office. His 50th District includes Sangamon, Cass and Menard counties.

Davis completed plans for her internship in November. Fults decided one week into the spring semester. "I heard Emily, and I really got into the idea of an internship," she said.

Fults termed the Lincoln mayoral campaign "a relatively clean race, compared to what it could be." She noted that, while there have been subtle allusions to character, out-and-out attacks have been avoided. Also, the number of candidates has precluded debates or one-on-one comments on candidates’ stands on issues.

Noting that the Beth Davis campaign has done no polling, Emily Davis said that "sometimes it’s better not to do it" because respondents may disguise their true opinions or change their minds and because a poll can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Among the many connections between Davis and Fults is the fact that they lived in the same dormitory as freshmen. Though they had participated together in soccer, choir and school plays at Lincoln Community High School, they did not belong to the same social group. Independently they decided to attend Western Illinois University.

Then, while moving in, they discovered that out of 10 dormitories with 14 or more floors each, they had been assigned to the same floor of the same dormitory.

Without consulting each other about their preferences, they pledged the same sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha. The sorority and their shared studies have brought them closer together, Davis said.

Both now live in the sorority house while on campus. Each is spending this semester in Lincoln, living with her mother. Their similarities even extend to both working as waitresses at Al’s Main Event.

However, the similarities do not include life goals. Davis plans to make politics her career. She dreams of becoming a full-time Republican staffer at the state Senate. Barring that, she expects to start out running for local office, with a "wishful thinking" goal of becoming the first woman president.

Fults plans to enter law school and has selected college courses with that goal in mind, following the advice of her mentor Ted Mills. She hopes to practice law in Lincoln and eventually to become a judge. As far as her career allows, she says, she will continue to be involved in politics and expects to work on campaigns for Emily Davis someday.

Competitors now, Bobbie Fults and Emily Davis expect to remain friends for life.

[Lynn Spellman]