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Wednesday, November 3, 2010
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Volume 96 | Issue 40
Sunny 64° / 41°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Texas remains red after 2010 midterm elections SGA, students think about the elections BY ISAAC WRIGHT Senior Staff Writer
PHOTO BY JOSHUA BANGLE/INTERN
U.S. Congressman Michael Burgess of District 26 talks with supporters at his election watch party.
Burgess camp celebrates BY JOSH PHERIGO Assigning Editor
More than 150 Republican supporters gathered Tuesday night at the Ben E. Keith Distribution Center to cheer on U.S. Congressman Michael Burgess in what turned out to be his successful bid for a fifth congressional term. Holding a commanding 30-point lead over Democratic challenger Neil Durrance at 8:30 p.m., Burgess took the podium to thank the crowd. “I’m so thankful for everything you have done to allow me the opportunity to go back and now do the work you asked me to do,” Burgess said. “It’s a great privilege, and I pray I’m up to the job. I know that you will be watching, so I darn well better be.” Burgess has been representing the 26th District of Texas since he left his private medical practice to run for Congress in 2002. The district covers an area that includes most of Denton County,
large portions of Tarrant and Cooke Counties, and part of Dallas County, according to Burgess’ website. A Denton native and UNT alumnus, Burgess said his connection to the local community has been “very empowering” in Washington. He said his familiarity with the area has allowed him to make hard decisions quickly in Washington because he said he knows he is in tune with most of his electorate. “With all of the things we have going on locally as far as transportation, gas drilling and farming, it would be difficult to represent an area as diverse as this if you hadn’t spent a lifetime here,” Burgess said. When he returns to Washington in January, Burgess said, he will tackle is also the biggest concern facing recent and soon-to-be college graduates. “The unemployment rate for folks in [the post-college] age group is startlingly high,” Burgess said. “College graduates are putting their heart and soul and money into their education and getting out and finding there are no jobs, and that’s got
to change.” Clint Peterson, a political science and history senior, was one of a dozen members of the UNT College Republicans there. Peterson, the club’s executive director, said the group has been working with Burgess. “I actually walked door to door for Congressman Burgess, so I’ve always been a fan, personally,” Peterson said. “I think he feels a connection from the university that I don’t think we’ve had with most of the elected officials in the area.” Lynn Yeargin is a volunteer and coordinator for the North Texas College Republicans and the Denton County Republican Party. She was an organizer for Tuesday’s watch party. She said she enjoyed the turnout. “Everyone has come from the roots, the grassroots up,” Yeargin said. “With all due respect to all the other candidates, this is the reddest of the red counties in the state.” As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, with half the precincts counted, none of the 18 Democratic candidates running in opposed races on the Denton ballot were winning.
The Tuesday elections gave Americans an opportunity to make their voices heard and influence the direction the country will take. The midterm election took place amid a political climate dominated by disappointment with the two first years of President Barack Obama’s administration, the agenda of the Democratic Party and the economy, according to multiple media reports. Few other issues are going to fuel the votes, said Kimi King of the political science faculty. “This election is about Obama not being able to capitalize on the victory of 2008 and the programs of bailouts and health care,” King said. Midterm Issues King said the disenchantment with the Democrats’ agenda has allowed groups like the tea party and, in Texas, the Libertarians, to bring out their supporters and issues to the forefront of political discussion. As a result, the number of propositions on the ballots across the country this year has increased dramatically and covers a wide range of issues. T h i r t y-s e ven st ate s combined had 167 proposals on the ballot this year. However, King said the most important issue this election cycle is the changing composition of the state governments. “The interesting stuff to watch is the state legislatures nationwide,” King said. “Those state legislatures will be able to draw the districts for the next 10 years.” Student Involvement This election will not see many students at the polls,
PHOTO BY MARIAH TYLER/ INTERN
Denton voters enter the First Baptist Church of Denton to cast their votes. King said. A study done by Harvard University showed that 70 percent of registered voters who were students turned out and voted in 2008 but, this year, only 35 percent indicated they will vote, she said. “The question isn’t what [the Democrats] did wrong in 2010,” King said. “The question should be what they did right in ’08.” Tuesday in the Dean of Students offices, the Student Government Association had an election party to highlight the importance of students voting. About 10 members of the organization, along with a few students, came to eat cake, talk about the ongoing election and watch the early coverage on CNN. “SGA is student government, so we have a lot of people that are politically savvy,” said Kellie Hill, the SGA director of campus involvement. “We wanted to get people together to cele-
brate democracy and independence.” It is important that everyone votes, Hill said. “You shouldn’t just vote on a name but be an informed voter,” Hill said. Valerie Gonzalez, a senator in the Student Senate and the UNT campus manager for Bill White’s gubernatorial campaign, said she acknowledges that midterms are less exciting, and some students aren’t as interested in voting compared to the enthusiasm for the 2008 election. However, UNT leads the state in students pledging to vote for White, and that’s because of his support for education, she said. “I think that hits home with students — the fact that there’s a candidate that cares about education,” Gonzalez said. “I think a lot of students want to see what can be done.”
2010 General Election results: state and county Other Winners: Comptroller of Public Accounts Winner: Susan Combs Party Affiliation: Republican
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Winner: Rick Perry Winner: David Dewhurst Party Affiliation: Party Affiliation: Republican Republican With more than 65 percent of precincts reporting as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Gov. Rick Perry will serve a third term with almost 57 percent of the vote. Bill White, the Democratic former mayor of Houston, trailed with about 41 percent of votes. Kathie Glass, the Libertarian candidate, fell far behind with about 2 percent. Perry took office as governor first in 2000.
Republican Lt. Gov. David D e w hu r s t w i l l k e e p h i s office, taking more than 63 percent of votes as of 10:30 p.m. over closest adversar y L i nda Chavez-T hompson’s about 33 percent of votes. Dewhu rst ser ved as Texas Land Commissioner from 1998 to 2002 before he was elected to his first term as lieutenant governor in 2002.
U.S. House Representative 26th District Texas Winner: Michael Burgess Party Affiliation: Republican
Attorney General Winner: Greg Abbott Party Affiliation: Republican
With about 66 percent of the vote as of 10:30 p.m., Attorney U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, General Greg Abbott will remain R-Texas for the 26th District, will in office. Barbara Radnofsky serve a fifth term in that office, fell behind with less than 32 leaving the competition behind percent of the vote. Libertarian with almost 66 percent of votes candidate Jon Roland trailed far as of 10:30 p.m. Democratic behind with more than 2 percent candidate Neil Durrance and of the vote. Before becoming as Libertarian candidate Mark attorney general in 2002 Abbott Boler received 32 and 2 percent served on the Texas Supreme Court. of votes, respectively.
State Senator, District 12 Winner: Jane Nelson Party Affiliation: Republican State Sen. Jane Nelson of District 12 won again with 86 percent of votes over Libertarian candidate Mark Frohman as of 10:30 p.m. Frohman received about 14 percent of the vote. Nelson has been a statae senator since 1993 after serving two terms on the State Board of Education. Nelson is a UNT alumna.
State Representative, District 63 (unopposed) Winner: Tan Parker Party Affiliation: Republican State Representative, District 64 Winner: Myra Crownover Party Affiliation: Republican State Representative, District 65 Winner: Burt Solomons Party Affiliation: Republican