"It's definitely possible," said Bronwen C. McShea '02, member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Republican Club. "It may have been part of the reason for her dropping out."
Many believe that Dole dropping out of the race will probably have little impact on the rest of the field.
"Most of the other candidates with little money are more issue-oriented," McShea said. "So they won't drop out just because of money."
Dole had been scheduled to be at Harvard later this year at an IOP forum featuring the Republican presidential candidates. She may still make an appearance on her own at Harvard, Simpson said.
"She wants to continue inspiring young people to get involved in politics, which is the goal of the IOP," said Simpson. "We will be working to get her here."