Santa Clara Survey Story

How Florida Could Launch Romney to Presidency

Two weeks ago, Mitt Romney was hurting. After losing the South Carolina Presidential Primary to Newt Gingrich, he held his head high and told supporters to to remain strong as he marched onward to Florida. 

For the last eight elections, the winner of the South Carolina Primary has eventually won out as the republican presidential candidate. But the 32-year history may be broken. Romney’s go-getter attitude seems to be exactly what republican voters were looking for in Florida. After convincingly taking the Florida Primary over rival Gingrich, Romney secured his place at the front of the pack again with two primary ideas: turning the economy around, and getting Obama out of the White House.

For most students on campus, whether Romney or Gingrich wins the republican race is a non-issue. Freshman Civil Engineer major Caleb Young said, “I haven’t registered (to vote) or anything, I don’t really know enough care to about this election.” 

But Romney’s second goal in this race, to get Obama out of office, seems to resonate with voters in both parties. 

Jason Watkins, a junior Philosophy-Ethnic Studies double major said he may vote independent this year. “I want my vote to actually count towards something,” said Watkins. After suggesting he probably wouldn’t vote Republican anyway, he joked that the only thing Obama really has going for him is that like Watkins, he’s black. Otherwise he’s not interested in voting for the current president again and wants to see what else is out there. 

Similarly, junior Political Science-Economics double major Warda Ali is actually considering voting independent for the first time in her life. Ali is upset with the current administration and it seems that neither party is catering to her needs as an individual citizen. Although she was seventeen during the last election, she has always considered herself a Democrat and if she had to choose, she would vote Obama over Romney. “He’s the lesser of two evils,” Ali said. 

While the win in Florida was great for Romney, the general consensus on campus seems to disagree with what he would bring to the presidential table. Regardless of whether or not he could take the GOP race, it doesn’t seem likely that he will be getting votes from too many Santa Clara students this election. But with many traditional voters shying away from Obama, Florida could be the biggest step for Romney’s campaign to the presidency.