AMHERST – With many of their fellow candidates off celebrating Independence Day in the Midwest, Governor Bill Richardson, D-N.M., and Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., received a bit of individual attention at the Amherst Fourth of July parade.

Following Amherst's long tradition of mixing a little politics in with the annual Fourth festivities, swarms of eager college students packed the rear end of the parade donning the required campaign regalia and leading themselves in chants and cheers for their chosen ones.

Hillary Clinton's "Primary Team" carried banners and trailed behind a float decorated with cardboard race cars. Barrack Obama volunteers tried to maintain a happy face while walking behind an antique car that continually belched noxious fumes.

"This isn't the best place to be walking," said one of his loyal supporters, but she trudged along anyway, catching a breath of clean air when she could.

The college kids ran up and down the sides of the parade route, offering stickers and balloons and other souvenirs. Some folks, like Jason Emmond and brothers Bert and Ben DeForest, were happy to accept anything the campaigns had to offer and were decked out head-to-toe in slogans.

"This guy's the frontrunner," said Bert DeForest, 13, pointing to the prize he scored from Duncan Hunter's camp. "This guy gave out pins instead of stickers."