The US Presidential Election takes place in less than two weeks, on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Two Spring Hill students will be particularly interested in the results of the election, namely Chris Daffin, president of the College Democrats, and Nick Saunchegraw, president of the College Republicans. Daffin, from Jackson Alabama, has voted already by absentee ballot, and Saunchegraw will do the same in his home state of Missouri.
The College Dems got up and running last fall, and this happened largely in response to the creation of the College Republicans during the previous semester: “I just saw a need, and I started this!” said Daffin.
When asked what draws him to the Democratic Party, Daffin said, “We stand for human dignity. It’s a cornerstone of Catholic Social Teaching and I believe – and people probably of all faiths believe – that human dignity isn’t something that can be taken or given. It’s intrinsic to our existence. I believe that the Democratic Party, especially in recent decades, has recognized the human dignity of every human person. That’s what I love about the Democratic Party.”
The College Republicans was set up in late spring 2019. Saunchegraw, from St. Louis, remembers the difficulty that he had in getting a faculty member to advise the club, which is required to set up an organization on campus, “I went through three faculty members; they all turned me away. And then I went to Mark Foster, my accounting teacher, and he was like “Oh absolutely, I would love to do that.”
“I think that colleges all across the country are being fed this mainstream, ‘one way or the highway’ way of thinking,” he added. “It’s all the liberal way of thinking. All the professors are just shoving it down everybody’s throat. Nobody gets to think for themselves. And I think at some point we need to have that freedom of speech back.”
Despite their political disagreements, both Daffin and Saunchegraw are quick to point out that they are glad that the opposing party has a presence on campus. Both recognize the need to come together if anything constructive is to take place.