Ohio University College Democrats and College Republicans marched in the Homecoming Parade to support their candidates for U.S. Senate.
Ohio University's 2015 Homecoming Parade on Saturday featured various floats, the Marching 110 and a candidate for the U.S. Senate.
Both the OU College Democrats and the OU College Republicans walked in the parade supporting opposing candidates for the U.S. Senate race: former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-OH.
But only former Ohio Gov. Strickland was present for the parade, walking in stride with the Ohio University College Democrats.
“Athens and Athens County have been really good to me politically,” Strickland said after the parade. “I’m depending on Athens to help me get elected to the Senate.”
Strickland said Athens reflects many of the values that are important to him, including inclusiveness, tolerance and acceptance.
The OU College Democrats maintain close ties with the Strickland campaign through Taylor Myers, who is serving as Strickland's personal assistant. Last year, Myers was the president of the College Democrats of Ohio and worked closely with the OU chapter.
“There is no one else I’d rather spend hours and hours with than Ted Strickland,” Myers said.
Myers said he has been driving Strickland throughout the state as the race for the Senate heats up.
Alyssa Alcorn, vice president of the College Democrats of Ohio, said she loves having Strickland visit Athens.
“It’s his home turf,” Alcorna, a senior studying communication and public advocacy, said. “He’s been close to this community his entire career.”
Strickland also brought up his opponent when talking about financial aid, stating that 70 percent of college students in Ohio graduate with $30,000 in student loans. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, 68 percent of Ohio college seniors graduated with $29,090 in debt in 2013.
“I also think the federal loan program should be kept certainly,” Strickland said. “Sen. Portman now says he supports it, but when he was George Bush’s budget director he tried to eliminate it all together,” Strickland said.
Portman served as director of the Office of Management and Budget under the administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush from May 2006 to June 2007.
President of the College Republicans Anna Lippincott, a senior studying journalism and political science, said Portman was busy during the parade, and added that she would love to have him visit Athens.
“We do support him,” Lippincott said. “We do as much as we can for him.”
@kaitfoch
kf992915@ohio.edu
