Jun 29, 2009 9:34 pm US/Central
Young Republicans Flock To Schock In Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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U.S. Congressman Aaron Schock says social networking sites are a great way to get noticed by voters.
Getty Images
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Aaron Schock speaks on day four of the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center on Sept. 4, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, was in Chicago Monday night at a Republican event.
CBS
He's young. He's good looking. And, oh yeah, he's a U.S. congressman.
Rep. Aaron Schock was in Chicago Monday night.
CBS 2's Anne State asks: Can he save the Republican Party?
At the Cubby Bear Monday night the music was loud and the beer was cold. It was the Chicago Young Republican summer membership event.
That's where we found 28-year-old congressman from Peoria shaking hands and making friends. You may have seen him on YouTube or TMZ.
Schock doesn't seem to mind that his youth and good looks are getting him noticed.
"Alternative media sources like TMZ, like the Stephen Colbert Report ... have allowed me to reach a demographic that otherwise would not watch traditional forms of media," Schock said.
The goal of Monday's event? Attract more young people into the Republican Party. It's critical, one political expert told CBS 2, given what happened in the last election.
"The one age group where Barack Obama crushed John McCain was with 18- to 29-year-olds," Roosevelt University political scientist Paul Green said.
Some believe that events like this can help. State Sen. Kirk Dillard says it's all about making it "cool" to be Republican. Some say Schock is part of that, too.
"I saw Congressman Schock in a magazine earlier this year and I was like 'I have to meet him,'" attendee Lauren Lapin said.
Megan Monti said Schock is "a celebrity figure, almost like Obama was, where people are drawn to him."
Schock says in order to reach young people you need to reach them in places like Facebook, Twitter or TMZ, where he was captured poolside sporting a six pack.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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