From a political show to a television game, the elections have turned into a match of anticipation for each candidate’s next new move.
With a clear divide in parties, our election has turned from a political show to a television game as we wait for each candidate’s next new move.
Jefferson has its very own television game in the form of two clubs: Young Democrats and Teenage Republicans. But, what makes this show interesting is that both parties have one leader. Senior Bryan Nguyen is president for both the Young Democrats and Teenage Republicans. Although each club’s purpose is to discuss and group together different people and ideas, they are run by one person.
One leader, Two Parties
“No one really stepped up the same way I did, figured there’s a gap left by Eli Tillemann [graduated president for Young Democrats and Teenage Republicans] last year, and that, you know, if you saw it in me, I was probably the best one to [be president for both clubs].”
Jefferson’s political clubs don’t follow the same political divide as the real world.
“They’re a lot more similar than they are different,” Nguyen said. “The people [who] go to either club are interested in politics, not partisanship.”
However, vice president of Teenage Republicans junior Cassidy Calabia disagrees stating that the clubs discuss very different things.
“Young Democrats would be looking at stuff happening on the Democratic side,” Calabia said. “Any news, any conflicts. But, Teenage Republicans looked at people [who] were up for running in the election in the Republican Party.”
With this separation in mind, Calabia still believes that the club fosters a positive environment for both sides considering the vice president of the Teenage Republicans club considers himself Democratic.
Red VS. Blue
“I think it’s a good mix [of both sides],” Calabia said. “There’s definitely going to be some bias towards Republicans, but as vice president, I am Democratic. I find it interesting looking at different views and seeing all these different perspectives.”
The president of both clubs still aims to spread the word about this election and politician’s agendas about whether a member is more supportive of the democratic or republican side.
“Our clubs are mainly focused [on] getting the word out about just the top issues at hand,” Nguyen said. “No matter if you can vote or not, or who you vote for, the result of the election is something you’re going to have to live with. As a result, it’s important to know what each candidate wants to do with America in this current election and all of them.”
Jefferson’s Goal
Nguyen and Calabia both believe that their goal isn’t to create divisions in the Jefferson student body but rather to inform the students.
“In real life, the strategies and your goal [are] different,” Calabia said. “For example, we’re mostly informational and educational. We have no want of trying to persuade someone over to [the] Republican side or the Democratic side. It’s simply: we’re here. In real life, they’re trying to get people to come over to this side or to their side. Strategy for doing that will be a lot different. You probably want to be slandering the other side which is not what we do.”