The despairing cries of students and faculty reverberated against the cold cinder-block walls of the Bowld Gym Tuesday night as Fox News announced the countless states presidential candidate Donald Trump had snagged.
A week ago, the political science department hosted a straw poll outside of the Lex, asking students who they planned to vote for in the primary election as well as other questions to identify the general political atmosphere among Union students and staff. The poll illustrated a strong support for Republican candidate Marco Rubio, who won over 50 percent of participants, with Donald Trump coming in last, receiving just a handful of votes.
The Super Tuesday Viewing Party was partially a follow-up to the straw poll and an opportunity to view the actual primary voting results in community. Trump had a crushing victory.
Students sporting “Team Rubio” stickers sat angrily on the edge of their plastic chairs and discussed the process to gain citizenship in Canada.
As students hurled passionate insults at the billionaire, Sean Evans, chair of the Department of Political Science, beamed at the blossoming young voters who cared enough to be enraged.
“The whole point of the party is to get students more interested in politics and go out and vote,” Evans said. “We need to start developing the skills of citizenship in our students at an early age.”
It appears, however, that the Union vote was not strong enough to win Tennessee for Marco Rubio. Donald Trump took first place, followed by Ted Cruz in second, with Marco Rubio in third.
Clutching their pizza boxes and choking back tears, students slowly filed out as they realized a Trump Super Tuesday victory was inevitable.
Students and political science faculty will continue to watch future primaries, praying for the best possible outcome.
