Conservative candidates from across the state converged on the Plaza of the Americas Thursday in an attempt to push students to make the “right” choices at the polls.
About 50 people attended what UF College Republican president Johnathan Lott described as “a nonconfrontational forum” designed to provide students an opportunity to meet political hopefuls as well as spur more youth involvement into conservative causes.
“Conservatives aren’t just a group of old fogeys,” Lott said. “We’re out here ... We do exist.”
Six candidates, half of whom are running for the same seat, fielded questions about their respective platforms and encouraged students to get politically active.
Remzey Samarrai, one of the three candidates for the 22nd District state representative race, urged students to “take back the campus.”
“Don’t put up with those lies your liberal professors are telling you,” he said. “If they have a class of the Federalist Papers, take it. If they don’t, demand one. If they have a class on classically interpreting the Constitution, take it [and] bring a friend.”
Samarrai also endorsed local businessman Don Marsh, who is facing City Commissioner Craig Lowe in an April 13 run-off for city mayor.
Marsh, who described himself as a “rags to blue jeans” story, insisted his campaign is more focused on winning people than winning arguments.
Pointing to his experience of running a self-employed business, Marsh said that, if elected, he would accept responsibility for what happens in the city.
“We have a lot of candidates who want to dodge the blame,” he said. “I realize after three years I’m either going to get all the blame, or I’m going to fix this.”
For Paul Watson, a candidate for Florida House District 11 who described himself as a “conservative child of God,” these elections have greater implications this time.
“Ya’ll are the future of our country,” Watson said. “We’ve got to stop this socialism, this dictatorship, coming down and telling us what to do.”
