MSU alumnus Tom Brennan introduces himself to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
—The visit of Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was a uniting force for some MSU and University of Michigan students during Saturday’s tailgate with MSU College Republicans.
“It’s one thing MSU and Michigan can agree on – we support Mitt Romney,” said political theory and constitutional democracy senior Leo Madarang, co-chairman for MSU Students for Mitt Romney.
Romney joined MSU College Republicans to tailgate before the game, frequenting other tailgate areas outside the stadium with his brother, MSU Board of Trustee member Scott Romney.
Mitt Romney bounced throughout the different tailgates on campus, shaking hands and drawing more people into a group that began to tag along.
U-M political science senior Amy Drumm worked during the tailgate to sign people up for the Romney campaign and meet him before the game.
Having Romney here can bring both campuses together, Drumm said.
Other people, such as international relations senior Scott Hendrickson, are hoping voters won’t be fooled because a candidate chooses to visit the campus.
“I think the voters will make their choices on the positions of candidates and not whether they shook their hands,” said Hendrickson, president for MSU Democrats. “Voters of Michigan are looking for leaders and Democratic candidates are the candidates that are offering that.”
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., will be hoping to garner votes when he visits campus at 4 p.m. on Thursday in the Lincoln Room of the Kellogg Center.
“We’re very excited about the fact MSU College Republicans are bringing in two of the top-tier candidates for president in a five-day period,” said political science junior Ben Morlock, president of MSU College Republicans. “We’re humbled that they’ve decided to focus their attention on MSU.”
Democratic candidates pledged to not campaign in Michigan after the state moved its primary election to Jan. 15. Other candidates like Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., chose to take their names off the ballot.
However, Democratic candidates still care for Michigan whether they campaign here or not, Hendrickson said. Democratic hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is the only major candidate who chose to remain on the Michigan ballot.
“I wish (Democratic candidates) would reconsider so we could have a full primary,” Hendrickson said. “I worry about that all the time, that Iowa and New Hampshire are putting a stranglehold on the primary. If the candidates do not come, I do support moving the primary back to have all the candidates come back to talk about our issues.”
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
