I can tell you proudly firsthand, at least in North Carolina, our students stand behind a great woman named Elizabeth Dole.

The campus College Republicans, as well as College Republicans across the state, have been working passionately for Dole since her official kickoff last February, and some even earlier than that.

Mrs. Dole has statewide support from almost every college campus, and her Students For Dole, Women For Dole and Democrats For Dole have been sweeping this state with such fervor, it should make Erskine Bowles rather nervous behind those beady little eyes.

Many students see determination and tenacity behind Dole's warm Southern smile and gracious, warm voice. They see a woman who has worked ardently for the American people under five American presidents and who served honorably as American Red Cross president. They see a woman who rises above the petty slanderous ads and taunting by her opponent, and a woman who wants to work her hardest for North Carolinians. I see in her a great American.

Dole has a career beginning at Duke University and moving onto, among other things, a law degree from Harvard. She broke barriers in her youth and continued to do so all the way to the White House, serving such honorable men as Ronald Reagan and the elder George Bush. After circling the globe with the American Red Cross, she was finally able to settle down and return to Salisbury, where Mary Hanford, Dole's charming 101-year-old mother, still resides. She could have stopped there. She, of course, did not and is about to break another barrier by becoming the first female Senator of this great state.

Elizabeth Dole not only acknowledges the American dream and the Constitutional right for the pursuit of happiness, but she works incessantly to secure such wonderful American freedoms for all of us. After one job, she washes up, rolls up her sleeves, and looks eagerly for the next task to be tackled.

Dole has developed a concise, detailed plan for North Carolina, should she be elected next Tuesday. Her opponent has only created huge loans for his campaign to fund sleazy campaign ads, since his recent fundraising efforts have not been successful. Dole wants to help Social Security via partial voluntary privatization; Erskine wants to do nothing, a move that will cost Americans trillion.

He uses scare tactics to steal support from senior citizens and minority voters; Dole uses her Dole Plan and Salisbury values to earn votes from her fellow North Carolinians.

Erskine supports tax increases and slashing of military spending, as he did when he was a co-conspirator with the Clinton administration; Dole wants Americans to have more of their hard-earned money and has signed a no tax pledge, and she wants our service men and women to actually be paid appropriately for the courageous jobs they do.

If you don't believe what I am writing, read the Dole plan on her Web site. Then, search high and low for Erskine's plan. Good luck finding it. Though we all heard Erskine make reference to things he supports and dislikes in two Senatorial debates, he has never produced a single, solid agenda for how he will successfully attain anything more than trashing Elizabeth Dole's character and compassion.

Recently, the Students For Dole have been rallying support, whether it be at the phone banks, walking precincts, or simply attending her events and cheering from the crowd. Many of us even attended the second debate, and one thing remains clear: we cannot find the Students For Bowles.

Now, we know College Democrats exist, and I am sure they are siding with Mr. Bowles, but where are they on the campaign trail? We see Erskine's drab signs in a few intersections and several residential yards, but where are the students? Where are the rallies?

I would be hiding, too, if my candidate were remotely like Erskine Bowles, a man whose own scandals are too numerous to include in a 900-word column.

Just search the Internet and you will be bombarded with articles detailing this man's dismal past. This type of behavior is becoming part of the Democratic platform, where one's candidacy cannot be supported unless he or she has some scandalous history and criminal behavior (i.e., Bill Clinton and Senator Robert Torricelli).

We are the future of the United States, and many will be following what we do on Nov. 5. I can assure you, liberals will be hiding behind their puppets in the mainstream media while the Republicans will continue grassroots politicking. I hope all those registered to vote will utilize this precious right.

I also encourage all to support Dole on Election Day as students across this state have been doing for a year now. We see in her many fine Senatorial qualities, and we want her in the U.S. Senate. The people will speak Tuesday, and hopefully, the future of North Carolinians and control of the U.S. Congress will be in the hands of the charming candidate from Salisbury and the Republican Party.

Albert Rattacasa is a sophomore.