As Hillary for Virginia holds a campus day of action to register students to vote ahead of the October 17 deadline, College Democrats across the Commonwealth are discussing why Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine are the best candidates for millennial voters and students, as well as highlighting why Donald Trump’s embrace of dangerous and harmful rhetoric makes him temperamentally unfit and unqualified to be president.
What some of Virginia’s college students are saying:
“On campus, I’m surrounded by a diverse student body and our school is better for the wide range of experiences and views my peers bring,” said Norfolk State University Young Democrats President Thiaa Rahman. “Under a Donald Trump presidency, Americans like the friends I study with would be made to feel unwelcome in their own country, and kids would grow up under a president who disparaged people based on their race or religion. I’m proud to join with students across Virginia to reject Trump’s bigotry in favor of Hillary Clinton’s message of love and inclusion.”
“Hillary Clinton has laid out detailed proposals and showed us all how she plans to help young people get ahead and stay ahead,” said Virginia Tech Young Democrats Secretary Emily Allen. “With so much at stake, and our futures ahead of us, I trust that Clinton will always look out for us and make sure we have the opportunities and resources we need to succeed.”
“As a student who is currently taking out students loans, I know that Hillary Clinton’s plans will help create the best opportunities for me, and the next generation of students to have a successful future,” said Virginia State University Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. President Kody Carrington. “Clinton’s New College Compact will ensure that costs will not be a barrier to attending college and that debt will no longer be a burden.”
“In a time of increased partisanship, we need a leader like Hillary Clinton who can bring people together and work across party lines, cut through gridlock, and deliver real results for our country, while championing the values I believe in,” said William and Mary College Young Democrats Vice-President Sahil Mehrotra. “We need a leader who preaches inclusion, love, and acceptance of one another. Not one who talks about hate and the things that divide us. We truly are stronger together, and that is why I support Hillary Clinton.”
“There is so much at stake in this election. The question is who will help provide students the opportunity and security they need to succeed when we leave college and enter the real world,” said James Madison University College Democrats President Josh Roesch. “For me, the choice is clear. Only Hillary Clinton will give students the resources they need to obtain jobs and build an economy that will create those jobs.”
“Hillary Clinton is the only candidate in this race who has developed a comprehensive plan to refinance existing student debt, make higher education more accessible by making it debt-free, and create free tuition for families making under $125,000 a year,” said Old Dominion University Young Democrats Vice-President Jacob Dafoe. “Student debt holds millennials back from starting families, businesses, and owning homes. Hillary Clinton is the only candidate who cares and has created a solid plan to tackle the most urgent issues facing millennials today.”
“Hillary understands the power of a good education and, as president, she will be an advocate for our educators who makes sure they have the resources to teach students the skills and knowledge they need to thrive,” said Virginia Commonwealth University Young Democrats President Brianna Howard. “Hillary is the kind of leader that teachers, students, and working families need in the White House.”
“We have two choices in this election. A candidate who accepts science and has laid out an ambitious plan to address climate change, or a candidate who thinks it’s a hoax,” said University of Virginia Young Democrats President Sam Tobin. “For me, the choice isn’t even close. Only Hillary Clinton will tackle climate change and put our country on a path to be a clean energy superpower.”
“This is the first presidential election that I will be able to vote in, and I can’t wait to make history and cast my vote for the first woman president,” said University of Virginia Freshman Lexi Weber. “But I can honestly say that’s not the only reason I am supporting Hillary Clinton. She is also the most qualified candidate of our time, and will protect women’s choice to make their own health decisions, fight for pay equity, and so much more.”
“Throughout Hillary Clinton’s career, she has always made education a top priority. From her time working at the Children’s Defense Fund to her time as First Lady, senator and now as a presidential candidate, we have seen how she has consistently fought for students of all ages,” said Norfolk State University Young Democrats’ Michael Person. “And as president, I trust that she will do the same.”
“I want a president who will serve every American, and that starts with respecting every American,” said Virginia Tech Sophomore Meg Connors. “Hillary Clinton represents the values I believe in, the same values we have been taught by our parents and teachers, and she will fight to help every American reach their full potential.”
“This election matters for so many reasons, but I think at its core, this election is a test of who we are as Americans. Are we collectively going to succumb to Donald Trump’s fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric that pits us against each other, or are we going to elect a woman with the ability to mend divides and solve real problems? Will we put a man in the White House who shamelessly spews such vitriol against our fellow Americans because of their race, gender, legal status, sexual orientation, and gender identity, or are we going to do everything in our power to prevent that from happening? This election is a test of our national identity and collective values, and I refuse to believe that I live in an America where Donald Trump accurately represents who are are,” said William and Mary College Young Democrats President Kathleen Bryant. “I believe in Hillary Clinton’s ability to bring our increasingly fragmented country together – she has spent her entire career making change, and I have no doubt she will continue to do so in the White House.”
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