110520 by The Daily Toreador

THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 2020 VOLUME 95 ■ ISSUE 12

LA VIDA

SPORTS

America prepares for potential transition of powers.

Tech golfer Kyle Hogan will return home in first pro event.

Patience, unity needed during election season.

OPINIONS

ONLINE View our ongoing coverage of the 2020 presidential election on Twitter @DailyToreador and on Facebook at The Daily Toreador.

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ONLINE

INDEX LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU

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THE WAIT CONTINUES Biden makes gains, pushes toward 270 but several states still too close to call Editor’s note: All information is accurate as of press time at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Joe Biden was pushing closer to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to carry the White House, securing victories in the “blue wall” battlegrounds of Wisconsin and Michigan, and narrowing President Donald Trump’s path. With just a handful of states still up for grabs, Trump tried to press his case in court in some key swing states, It was unclear if any of his campaign’s legal maneuvering over balloting would succeed in shifting the race in his favor. CAROLYN KASTER/AP Photo

NOAH RIFFE/Daily Collegian

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in Wilmington, Del.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives a thumbs up at a rally on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020 in Harrisburg, PA.

Electoral College votes:

264 Source: Associated Press

Two days after Election Day, neither candidate had amassed the votes needed to win the White House. But Biden’s victories in the Great Lakes states left him at 264, meaning he was one battleground state away — any would do — from becoming president-elect. Trump, with 214 electoral votes, faced a much higher hurdle. To reach 270, he needed to claim all four remaining battlegrounds: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia and Nevada. With millions of votes yet to be tabulated, Biden already had received more than 71 million votes, the most in history. At an afternoon news conference Wednesday, the former vice president said he expected to win the presidency but stopped short of outright declaring victory. “I will govern as an American president,” Biden said. “There will be no red states and blue states when we win. Just the United States of America.” It was a stark contrast to the approach of Trump, who early Wednesday morning falsely claimed that he had won the election. Trump’s campaign engaged in a flurry of legal activity to try to improve the president’s chances and cast doubt on the election results, requesting a recount in Wisconsin and filing lawsuits in Pennsylvania,

Michigan and Georgia. Statewide recounts in Wisconsin have historically changed the vote tally by only a few hundred votes; Biden led by more than 20,000 ballots out of nearly 3.3 million counted. For four years, Democrats have been haunted by the crumbling of the blue wall, the trio of Great Lakes states — Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania — that their candidates had been able to count on every four years. But Trump’s populist appeal struck a chord with white working-class voters and he captured all three in 2016 by a combined total of just 77,000 votes. The candidates waged a fierce fight for the states this year, with Biden’s everyman political persona resonating in blue-collar towns while his campaign also pushed to increase turnout among Black voters in cities like Detroit and Milwaukee. It was unclear when a national winner would be determined after a long, bitter campaign dominated by the coronavirus and its effects on Americans and the national economy. But even as Biden’s prospects improved, the U.S. on Wednesday set another record for daily confirmed coronavirus cases as several states posted all-time highs. The pandemic has killed more than 232,000 Americans. Trump spent much of

Wednesday in the White House residence, huddling with advisers and fuming at media coverage showing his Democratic rival picking up battlegrounds. Trump used his Twitter feed to falsely claim victory in several key states and amplify unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about Democratic gains as absentee and early votes were tabulated. Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said the president would formally request a Wisconsin recount, citing “irregularities” in several counties. And the campaign said it was filing suit in Michigan and Pennsylvania to halt ballot counting on grounds that it wasn’t given proper access to observe. Still more legal action was launched in Georgia. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of votes were still to be counted in Pennsylvania, and Trump’s campaign said it was moving to intervene in existing Supreme Court litigation over counting mail-in ballots there. The campaign also argued that outstanding votes still could flip the outcome in Arizona, which went for Biden, showcasing an inconsistency in its arguments over prolonged tabulation. In other closely watched races, Trump picked up Florida, the largest of the swing states, and held onto Texas and Ohio while Biden kept New Hampshire

and Minnesota. Beyond the presidency, Democrats had hoped the election would allow the party to reclaim the Senate and pad its majority in the House. But while the voting scrambled seats in the House and Senate, it ultimately left Congress much like it began — deeply divided. The candidates spent months pressing dramatically different visions for the nation’s future, including on racial justice, and voters responded in huge numbers, with more than 100 million people casting votes ahead of Election Day. Trump, in an extraordinary move from the White House, issued premature claims of victory and said he would take the election to the Supreme Court to stop the counting. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell discounted the president’s quick claim of victory, saying it would take a while for states to conduct their vote counts. The Kentucky Republican said that “claiming you’ve won the election is different from finishing the counting.” Vote tabulations routinely continue beyond Election Day, and states largely set the rules for when the count has to end. In presidential elections, a key point is the date in December when presidential electors meet. That’s set by federal law.

Electoral College votes:

214 Source: Associated Press

NEWS

NOV. 5, 2020

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LOCAL

Voters reelect Lubbock mayor, city council members By ADÁN RUBIO News Editor

Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope and three members of the Lubbock City Council won reelections on Election Day Tuesday. After getting 55.71 percent of the 87,636 total votes cast, Pope won against his opponent, Stephen Sanders, a junior advertising major from Lubbock, who gained 44.29 percent of the votes, according to the final unofficial results on the Lubbock County Elections Office website. In the 2018 Lubbock mayoral election, Pope ran against Johnathan Cothran and Sanders, who was a write-in candidate at the time, according to official final results on the Lubbock County Elections Office website. Pope received 78.02 percent of the 14,604 total votes cast, Cothran received 18.39 percent of the votes and Sanders received 3.59 percent of the votes. The 2016 Lubbock mayoral election consisted of Pope and three other candidates: Todd Klein, Ysidro Sid Gutierrez and Victor Hernandez, according to official final results on the Lubbock County Elections Office website. Pope received 52.64 percent of the 21,153 total

votes cast, Klein received 31.54 percent of the votes, Gutierrez received 7.2 percent of the votes and Hernandez received 8.63 percent of the votes. For the Lubbock City Council seat for District 2, Shelia Patterson Harris received 69.02 percent of the 7,801 total votes cast, and Gordon Harris received 30.98 percent of the votes, according to the results on the Lubbock County Elections Office website. Shelia Patterson Harris ran against Tiger Pratt, Gordon Harris, Jared Hall and Christopher Stevon Moore for the District 2 seat in 2016, according to final unofficial results on the Lubbock County Elections Office website. Shelia Patterson Harris received 43.78 percent of the 2,156 total cast votes, Pratt received 6.91 percent of the votes, Gordon Harris received 10.11 percent of the votes, Hall received 30.24 percent of the votes and Moore received 8.95 percent of the votes. Steve Massengale ran unopposed and was reelected for the Lubbock City Council seat for District 4 after receiving a total of 17,352 votes, according to the Lubbock County Elections Office website. Massengale ran against

Jim Gerlt for the District 4 seat in 2016, according to final unofficial results on the Lubbock County Elections Office website. Massengale received 63.95 percent of 5,554 total cast votes, and Gerlt received 36.05 percent of the votes. For the Lubbock City Council seat for District 6, Latrelle Joy received 59.73 percent of the 11,341 votes cast, and Kaylon Dean Northcutt received 40.27 percent of the votes, according to the Lubbock County Elections Office website. In 2016, Joy ran unopposed for her current city council seat for District 6, according to Ballotpedia. Pope is grateful for the team he is on, he said in a video posted on his Facebook page Tuesday. His reelection along with the reelection of three of the members on the Lubbock City Council are milestones he said mark a special occasion in Lubbock. “Tonight, three of us were reelected. Six of us will serve for six years,” he said in the video. “That has never happened in Lubbock, Texas. That to me is a buy-in to a team that’s moving our community forward.” Lubbock voters like the path the city is going, Pope said

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope was reelected for his position during Election Day on November 3, 2020. The unofficial voting results show Pope received 55.71 percent of the votes. in the video. “I think the people spoke tonight,” he said in the video. “I think Lubbock voters have said that they like the train they’re riding on; they like the direction that we’re moving, and they want us to stay the course, and I think we’ll do that.” Lubbock is a city that can treasure the past and embrace the future, Pope said in the

video. In addition, Lubbock needs a strong economy and needs to be a city where businesses want to invest. All lives, the born and unborn, are cherished in Lubbock, Pope said in the video. In addition, he said members of the city need to focus on creating jobs for people. Regardless of his plans moving forward, Pope is faith-

ful in Lubbock, he said. “Our choices need to be based on hope, not on fear,” he said in the video. “I believe in Lubbock, Texas. On our most difficult day, there’s so many more things that unite us than divide us. Our very best days are in front of us. The American dream is alive and well in Lubbock, Texas.” @AdanRubioDT

STATE

Cornyn, other Texas candidates elected during 2020 elections By MALLORY ROSETTA Managing Editor

The following are the unofficial results recorded by the Lubbock Elections Office as of 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 4: U.S. Senator Senator John Cornyn won reelection in Texas over MJ Hegar. U.S. Representative District 19 Jodey Arrington won the U.S. Representative for District 19 over Tom Watson. Railroad Commissioner James “Jim” Wright won

Texas Railroad Commissioner over Chrysta Castañeda. Chief Justice, Supreme Court Nathan Hecht won Texas Chief Justice of the Supreme Court over Amy Clark Meachum. Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6 Jane Bland won Justice of the Supreme Court for Place 6 in Texas over Kathy Cheng. Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7 Jeff Boyd won Justice of the Supreme Court for Place 7 in Texas over Staci Williams.

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 8 Brett Busby won Justice of the Supreme Court for Place 8 in Texas over Gisela D. Triana. Judge, Criminal Court of Appeals, Place 3 Bert Richardson won Judge of the Criminal Court of Appeals for Place 3 in Texas over Elizabeth Davis Frizell. Judge, Criminal Court of Appeals, Place 4 Kevin Patrick Yeary won Judge of the Criminal Court of Appeals for Place 4 in Texas over Tina Clinton.

Judge, Criminal Court of Appeals, Place 9 David Newell won Judge of the Criminal Court of Appeals for Place 9 in Texas over Brandon Birmingham. State Senator, District 28 Charles Perry won State Senator for Texas unopposed. State Representative, District 83 Candidate Dustin Burrows won State Representative for District 83 in Texas over his opponent state representative candidate Addison Perry-Franks.

State Representative, District 84 John Frullo won State Representative for District 84 in Texas over John Gibson. Chief Justice, 7th Court of Appeals District Brian Quinn won Chief Justice for the 7th Court of Appeals District in Texas unopposed. Justice, 7th Court of Appeals District, Place 4, Unexpired Term Candidate Larry Doss won Justice for the 7th Court of Appeals District, Place 4, Unexpired Term in the state unopposed.

District Judge, 72nd Judicial District Ruben G. Reyes won District Judge for the 72nd Judicial District. District Judge, 99th Judicial District Candidate Phillip Hays won District Judge for the 99th Judicial District for Texas unopposed. District Judge, 140th Judicial District Candidate Douglas H. Freitag won District Judge for the 140th Judicial District in the state unopposed. @MRosettaDT

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LA VIDA

NOV. 5, 2020

POLITICS

America prepares for potential transition of power By HANNAH ISOM Staff Writer

With results for the 2020 presidential election still incoming, some Americans are anticipating the moment when one candidate is elected and the process that will follow. There is a concern President Donald Trump will not allow for a peaceful transition of power, according to NPR Morning Edition. Trump referenced he would declare victory before all votes were in, citing potential fraudulence from mail-in ballots. If former Vice President Joe Biden is announced the winner and Trump refuses to leave office, military com-

manders would confront an unimaginable situation, taking orders from a disputed commander in chief even as his opponents look to them to help remove him, according to the LA Times. A contested election that spills into a fight in state legislatures would create constitutional chaos, according to LA Times. At several points between Election Day and the inauguration, things can break down if any states opt to disregard their results and Congress cannot agree on how to count the states’ electors. The election meltdown scenario has grown considerably less remote, as the rapid shift to voting by mail, more by

Democrats than Republicans, has created outcomes in which a Republican appears to have won on Election Day but ultimately loses when all the mail-in votes are counted in the following days, according to LA Times. In preparation for this, Democratic lawyers working with the Biden campaign are investigating the election laws in battleground states and the Constitution’s rules for counting electoral votes, according to LA Times. There is a worry Trump will prematurely declare victory and send his lawyers to court to stop the complete count of votes if he is leading in a swing state, according to LA Times.

This legal action potentially creates an opening for Republican state lawmakers in swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, to declare their state’s electoral votes for Trump, according to LA Times. Consequently, the Democratic governor in each of these states could stand in the way, bringing Congress a competing slate of electors for Biden thus causing further dispute. Nothing like this has happened in America since the 1876 contest between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel Tilden, according to LA Times. On March 4, 1801, early

in the morning, John Adams, the second president of the U.S., left Washington D.C., according to the History website. Thomas Jefferson, third president of the U.S., would have his inauguration later that day and replace Adams as president. Adams’ departure marked the first peaceful transfer of power between political opponents in the U.S., according to History. Since then, the loser of every U.S. presidential election has willingly and peacefully surrendered power to the winner, despite political or moral differences. There are 78 days be-

tween Election Day and Inauguration Day, according to PBS News Hour. During this time the Center for Presidential Transition, a non-partisan group, helps candidates prepare for the next administration, whether that is Trump’s second term or Biden’s first term. Additionally, the Presidential Transition Act provides milestones from six months before the election through Election Day and so far, every milestone has been hit, according to PBS. If Trump is not re-elected, according to NPR, Biden will be inaugurated into office on Jan. 20, 2021. @HannahIsomDT

CAMPUS

Campus amenities, departments prepare for winter intercession By HANNAH ISOM Staff Writer

With the choice to not have to return to campus after Thanksgiving break, some Texas Tech students might want to finish the fall semester while on campus. For those staying in Lubbock, certain amenities and resources still will be available. Some students may be curious if housing will remain open due to an extended winter intercession. Sean Duggan, managing director of Tech University Student Housing, said all residence halls will remain open and staffed until graduation ceremonies are finished. For students not graduating, residence halls will close on Dec. 10. Residence halls will reopen at 10 a.m. on Jan. 14. “Basically, it’s a normal year for us,” Duggan said. University Student Housing will work individually with students if they need to go home later than Dec. 10, he said. “We’re going to work with students and stuff to make sure they’re OK,” he said. Due to the current situation, Duggan said he believes extending the break provides more flexibility for students. To find the Winter Break Contract Extension form, students can visit the University Student Housing website. Tech Hospitality Services currently is working to establish which dining locations will be open after the break to feed those on campus dur-

ing the online instruction and final exam period, according to a statement from Alan Cushman, unit manager for Tech Hospitality Services. The department wants to ensure they are providing the best possible options to feed the Red Raider community based on the population that will be dining on campus. As soon as this information is available, Hospitality Services will share the dining hours with campus, and those hours will be available at hospitality.ttu.edu. Elizabeth Massengale, assistant dean of students and managing director in the Tech Parent and Family Relations department, said they have been fortunate to work closely with the Office of Institutional Advancement during this time to have funding available to help students who may be in financial need due to COVID-19 layoffs or any other layoff. “ I t ’s n o t t h a t t h i n g s will change,” Massengale said. “I think we are prepared for students who have these needs and need some additional support.” Currently, Massengale said she has not been made aware of any changes being made due to the high percentages of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Lubbock County. For now, Raider Relief services are continuing business as usual. “We are still functioning as normal, supporting students, faculty and staff every way that we would normally be,” Massengale said. Ileana Hinojosa, adminis-

trator in the Tech Center for Campus Life, said she helps operate Raider Red’s Food Pantry, and there have not been discussions on what they would do if there is another campus closure. Although, she said she imagines they will continue to operate as they are now. Currently, Hinojosa said they have bags of packaged food prepared for students to order. This strategy is to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus. “Typically, we follow whatever rules that the university follows,” Hinojosa said. Following Thanksgiving, the food pantry will continue to function as they are now, Hinojosa said. When Tech closes on Dec. 23, the food pantry will close as well and will open again on Jan. 4 when the university reopens, Hinojosa said. This still gives the food pantry the ability to assist students who do not go home for the holidays. “Our goal right now is to stay open as long as the university is open,” Hinojosa said. In addition to those staying

on campus the few weeks after Thanksgiving, some students may need services to help them return home for the break and the rest of the semester. Changes will be made to BreakShuttle, a cost-effective way for students to travel home for the holidays, Massengale said. Students can register to take a bus trip back to certain cities in Texas for Thanksgiving break. Students will leave on Nov. 25 and will stop in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin and El Paso, Massengale said. Though buses would typically return after Thanksgiving to get students back for finals, Massengale said, this year, they will return in January. This is due to the change in modality to courses. “Most students are not going to come back right after Thanksgiving,” she said. “They’ll wait until January to return.” Buses will be filled to 50 percent capacity, and students will be required to wear masks, Massengale said.

Additionally, students will be subjected to COVID-19 screenings and temperature checks. Tech will provide hand sanitizer and masks. BreakShuttle and Parent and Family Relations worked with medical professionals to ensure the buses are as safe as possible for student riders, Massengale said. “We recognize that some students do rely on this service to get home for those breaks,” Massengale said.

There is no commitment to a roundtrip ticket, Massengale said. One-way tickets are available for purchase if students have other means of transportation to get back to Tech. It is recommended that students purchase tickets now and do not wait until the last minute, Massengale said. Students can find ticket information for BreakShuttle and purchase a seat on the BreakShuttle website. @HannahIsomDT

OPINIONS

Page 4 Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020

EDITORIAL

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

Patience, unity needed during election season W

e recognize the uncertainty and anxiety the presidential, state and local elections have caused. We feel exactly what you feel. However, we are dedicated to informing the public on official race called by either the Associated Press, Texas Secretary of

State or Lubbock County Elections Office. During this time as the country waits for this election to be called and the aftermath in the coming days, we ask for patience as we report on presidential, federal, state and local elections and potential recounts. We have a dedicated

team of editors and staffers watching the news 24/7 waiting to report on what is going around the nation and locally. We also believe in the will of the people, the strength of our democracy and hope every American ballot that has been cast will be counted. This election is unprecedented with

the large amount of mail-in ballots, close race calls and the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand the results of this election will make some angry and others happy, but we must come together. Together we are the future of America, and together we write the next chapter of history. Let’s write one that

we are proud to tell our children about. Remember, we are Red Raiders, and we respect everyone and their ideas and backgrounds. This is the campus culture Tech’s administration fosters among the students and loves to boast to other colleges. In doing so, we must turn our focus back to issues

our campus is facing once the election is all said and done. Diversity, inclusion and protecting our students and athletes are just a few of the issues our campus community is facing. Let’s find unity amid these hard times. As always, strive for honor in everything you do. @DailyToreador

COLUMN

Styles’ “Golden” music video promotes good feelings On Oct. 25, Harry Styles announced via Twitter that he would be dropping his music video for the song “Golden” after posting various promotional material for it throughout the week. He dropped the video at 11 a.m. the next morning, and fans immediately went crazy as the video got millions of views in a matter of hours. The video is a compilation of Styles running, driving, swimming and dancing along the Amalfi Coast in Italy. There is not a major plotline to the music video, but the vibe of it is enough to make anyone feel relaxed and happy while watching it. With Styles’ other videos, there has usually been a plotline or other people in the music videos that either distract from the song or do not correlate with the song

Mallory Rosetta is a junior advertising and media strategies major from

at all. However, in the “Golden” video, the viewer is able to focus on him and feel what he is expressing through the song because it is just him and the music. While the music video did not necessarily align with the lyrics of the song, there was nothing distracting in it that took the viewer’s focus away from Styles. This music video has quickly made its way up in the rankings of my favorite music videos made by him for many reasons. For one, the song itself is a feel-good song that instantly puts me

in a good mood when I hear the opening notes. When I found out a music video was coming out for it, I could hardly contain my excitement, and the video certainly did not disappoint. Another facet of the video I enjoyed was the fashion in it. Styles goes through a series of outfit changes during the video, starting in a flowy white shirt and burlap shorts before transitioning into a turquoise blazer over white plaid pants. However, my favorite outfit he wore was a pair of floral pants with a black belt and a yellow fisherman’s hat. His outfit matched the vibe of that part of the song, and it really tied the video together for me. One of the main reasons I enjoyed this video so much was because of the camera work and the way the cin-

ematography of the video helped the viewer visualize themselves standing next to Styles and dancing alongside him, almost as if they were taking the journey through Italy with him. The overall feeling I got from watching the music video was my favorite part about it. I had a smile on my face from start to finish while watching it, especially on the parts where Styles was dancing or acting silly. My favorite part of the video is when the line “I know that you’re scared because hearts get broken” is sung, and Styles goes crazy, dancing crouched down in front of the water. This part stood out most to me because it seemed like he was having the most fun and was carefree in that moment, and I could

not help but dance along with him.

When I found out a music video was coming out for it, I could hardly contain my excitement, and the video certainly did not disappoint. Having been a fan of Styles’ since One Direction, this video was important to me because it showed him being himself for the first time in a long time. By this, I mean that Styles’ fans do not get to see the sillier side of him as much anymore as he tends to be more serious and private in the public eye. This video gave me and

many other fans a reminder that he is still Harry, and he has not changed throughout the years. Styles has always strived to promote messages of having fun and doing what you love, and this video displayed just that. When watching this video, it is very easy to get lost in Styles’ little world, and I believe that is exactly what he wanted his fans to take away from it – a sense of wonder and being carefree despite what may be happening around them. I encourage those of you who have not seen the music video to go watch it on YouTube after reading this. Whether you are a fan of Styles’ or not, “Golden” is a music video that can put anyone in a good mood after watching it. @MRosettaDT

COLUMN

Reporting first presidential election amid chaos CONTACT US Newsroom: 806-742-3393 Advertising: 806-742-3384 Business: 806-742-3388 Circulation: 806-742-3388 Fax: 806-742-2434 Email: dailytoreador@ttu.edu

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Chase Seabolt (806) 742-3395 editor@dailytoreador.com Managing Editor Mallory Rosetta managing@dailytoreador.com News Editor Adán Rubio news@dailytoreador.com La Vida Editor Natalie Cervantes features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor Zach Richards sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Mateo Rosiles opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Autumn Bippert photo@dailytoreador.com

Mateo Rosiles is a junior journalism major from Lubbock.

Every presidential election, I have sat in front of the TV seeing a map of the states turning blue and red being naive to what it actually means. Now that this was the first major election I could participate in, it seemed like a daunting task to undertake. However, getting the opportunity to report on it was and still is an experience that is like no other. To put it simply, I finally know how fans of football feel when it comes to the Super Bowl. Election night is the Super Bowl in the world of journalism, and this election did not disappoint. I am exhausted and mentally drained. The energy within the newsroom leading up to

election nights was palpable. Anxiety, fear, excitement and eagerness filled the room as the editorial board prepared for this election. We prepared for the worst and hoped for the best but neither came that night from a reporter’s perspective. Election night was chaotic here in the newsroom but was a manageable type of chaos. Every time a wave of states were called by the Associated Press was followed by furious typing and questions being asked throughout the newsroom. “Who called what?”, “Has AP Politics confirmed it?” and “What state is going to who?” were constant questions being asked throughout the night. Every time we thought we could take a quick break, another state would be called. Most of us in the newsroom were playing the number game for candidates and asking the what-ifs. Trying to predict where states might fall was honestly the

best part of the night. Watching candidates inch closer to the magic number of 270 brought waves of anxiety and relief for some of us. Most of us thought we would at least have an idea of who would win by 2 a.m. but that wasn’t to be the case. We, like the rest of the world, have been closely watching votes to the point that a few editors slept in the newsroom in hopes of more states being called throughout the night. Come Wednesday morning, we still couldn’t predict who would win. Throughout the day, we were still watching this election and wishing we could see an end in sight. Possible recounts, lawsuits and more hurdles that are yet to come will drag this election on for a little bit longer. I was anticipating hearing news about riots and protests going on around the United

States as many Americans boarded up their shops and residences in many of the big cities. However, the night was quiet.

To put it simply, I finally know how fans of football feel when it comes to the Super Bowl. Only a few skirmishes were reported by AP but nothing that would draw too much attention. However, many Americans, including myself, knew that counting votes would take days and we will not have a definite winner until late Thursday or early Friday. This pandemic affected American jobs, personal lives and now, the American presidential election along with over 7,000 elections that ran alongside it. Now we are in a moment in his-

tory when we just have to wait. As journalists, we hate waiting for information more than anyone else. We want answers and we want them now. However, here we are, waiting in anticipation alongside America. No matter what side you voted for, it is fair to say that it is a very close race, being that at the time of writing this, no winner has been called. In the past, I would call “BS” to a race being too close to call but now I realize that is an acceptable answer. I want every American’s vote to be counted. It is their right. Soon this will be over, a candidate will be named and life will go on. This is the beauty of our democracy, where we can decent opposing ideology through civil debates. We live in a country where we have a voice, and we are able to use it, uncensored. @MateoRosilesDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Digital Content Manager Madeline Diffee online@dailytoreador.com

A more conservative court hears same-sex foster parent case

Copy Editor Emma Sipple online@dailytoreador.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to side with a Catholic social services agency in a dispute with Philadelphia over the agency’s refusal to work with same-sex couples as foster parents. The case is a big test of religious rights on a more conservative court. Catholic Social Services, which is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, says its religious views keep it from certifying same-sex couples as foster parents. And it says it shouldn’t be shut out of a contract with the city to find foster homes for children. Philadelphia says it requires all the foster care agencies it works with not to discriminate as part of their contract.

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LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

With the addition of three appointees of President Donald Trump, Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, the court would seem poised to extend protections for religious objections to antidiscrimination laws. Kavanaugh, for his part, suggested Wednesday there should be a way for Catholic Social Services to continue to work with foster families. The case, Kavanaugh said, requires the justices to think about how to balance “very important rights” the court has recognized: religious rights and the right to same-sex marriage. “It seems when those rights come into conflict, all levels of government should be careful and should often, where possible and appropriate, look for ways to ac-

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

commodate both interests in reasonable ways,” he said. Even liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor seemed to recognize the court was sympathetic to Catholic Social Services. “If one wanted to find a compromise in this case, can you suggest one that wouldn't do real damage to all the various lines of laws that have been implicated here,” she asked at one point. The justices heard arguments in the case Wednesday morning, as it was still unclear whether Trump or Democratic challenger Joe Biden had won the White House. Though the case in front of the justices was from Pennsylvania, among the battleground states that could prove crucial in determining who wins the presidency, there was nothing in

the arguments acknowledging the ongoing contest. The justices also said nothing about Trump's statement early Wednesday that he would take the election to the Supreme Court to stop the counting. It was unclear exactly what legal action he might try to pursue. As they have been doing, the justices heard arguments in the case by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic. During nearly two hours of arguments, several justices brought up the fact that there’s no record that any same-sex couple has ever asked to work with Catholic Social Services and been turned away. If a couple did ask, they’d be referred to another of the more than two dozen agencies the city works with, Catholic

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Social Services says. The justices, seven of whom are Catholic or attended Catholic schools, also asked about other hypothetical contracts officials might make. Justice Stephen Breyer asked what would happen if a religious organization bidding on a transportation contract wanted men and women to sit separately, or women to wear head scarves. "If there’s an agency that refuses to employ women, would the state have to contract with that agency?" Justice Elena Kagan asked at one point. And Barrett, hearing her third day of arguments at the high court, asked about a hypothetical case where a state contract with a private Catholic hospital requires it to perform abortions.

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

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NOV. 5, 2020

ACADEMICS

Switching majors poses challenge for students By AMANDA HAMPTON Staff Writer

Choosing a major can be a difficult decision for college students. Many students end up switching their major throughout college as they begin to learn more about their career goals. Libby Bengtson, a senior biochemistry major from Denver, said she switched her major two times. She started college as a chemical engineering major and then changed it to chemistry before finally deciding on biochemistry. Bengtson wanted to be a doctor most of her life, but when she got to college, she second-guessed herself and decided not to pursue medicine, she said. Shortly after starting her engineering program, she realized she would be happier working in medicine, Bengtson said. “It was kind of a hard decision because it was my second semester of college, and it’s your first time being on your own and making your own decisions for your future,” Bengtson said. “It’s kind of hard to determine exactly what you want to do.” The decision took some

time to make and she had to go back and forth on it to determine what the best decision was, Bengtson said. It is difficult to not know for certain what career to pursue as a student. “I was lucky that I switched early because I didn’t really lose any credits,” Bengtson said. “I have friends that switched later, and it was a lot harder for them because they lost a lot of credits and had to go to school a lot longer.” Catherine Nutter, senior director for University Advising, said switching majors is common for students. National data available suggests nearly 30 percent of all students switch majors while in college. “Sometimes students switch majors because they’ve gathered more information and are more knowledgeable in what they want,” Nutter said. Another reason students find themselves switching majors is they did not conduct enough research on the major before starting the degree plan, Nutter said. Once they start the major, they realize it is not what they were expecting, and it does not fit their set of strengths.

For students considering switching majors, it is important to research what aspect of the major is not working, Nutter said. Students should also determine what skills they have that they want to use more. “Talk to your current academic advisor about options,” Nutter said. “I encourage folks to talk with somebody before they make a major change.” It can be difficult for students to know what all of their options are when choosing a major, Nutter said. Texas Tech offers over 150 different majors, which can be overwhelming to determine which one is the best fit for students. “Fortunately, we have an office on campus that helps students figure that out,” Nutter said. “Explore Advising, that’s exactly what they’re here for.” Cassandra Schmitt, Assistant Director of Explore Advising, said Explore Advising partners with students to help them understand all the degree options available at Tech. “What we do is we work with students to figure out what their interests are, what are their career goals,

what really drove them to higher education, and help narrow down those options and find the best-fit major for them,” Schmitt said. Explore Advising consists of advisers from a variety of backgrounds, Schmitt said. The advisers can also help students get connected with different colleges and specific major advisers. The advising program mainly works with students who have not declared a major yet, Schmitt said. Sometimes changing majors is not necessary, and a student can work toward their goals by solely adding a minor or a concentration. “I think Explore is so much broader than just changing majors,” Schmitt said. “We’re actually trying to help people to determine what they are actually striving for.” It is important for students to know they are never stuck in their major if it is not working for them, they always have other options, Schmitt said. “I think it’s vital to make sure that everybody feels like there’s a place to feel connected on campus,” Schmitt said.

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

The Majors and Minors Fair is hosted at the Student Union Building. Students may have a hard time deciding on a major in college, but advisers and other faculty and staff may assist them in deciding what is best for them.

@AmandaHamptonDT

MEN’S GOLF

Tech golfer Kyle Hogan will return home in first pro event By NICO SANCHEZ Staff Writer

Texas Tech golfer Kyle Hogan will make his professional debut this week on the Memorial Park Golf Course at the Houston Open. He earned an invite to the pro event by winning the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational by one stroke, posting a final score of 73 (+1), according to golfstat.com. The three-day tournament lasted from Oct. 18-20. Despite the win, Hogan inherently believed he started off the event a bit shaky. “After the first round. I didn’t feel like I played that great,” Hogan said. “I saw that I was still in the top 10, so I was like ‘OK’.” Hogan failed to qualify for

Tech’s first two events, but given the chance, the redshirt senior took advantage of the opportunity. “In the second round, I played really well and jumped into second place,” Hogan said. “I thought to myself, ‘OK, I got a pretty good chance if I can keep playing well.’” But, Hogan was surrounded with opposing talent from a host of competitive golf schools such as Pepperdine, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Texas and more. As the rounds went on, Hogan said he saw the competition creep closer and closer. The final round of the invitational was particularly close. Down the stretch, Kansas’ Luke Kluver and Oklahoma State’s Austin

Eckroat were neck and neck with Hogan, who began to focus on the game more than the leaderboards. Despite being in the top five, Hogan said he did not really know where he stood on the leaderboard through the majority of the round. Mentally, he assumed his would be toward the top due to his performance on the front nine, but until he looked at the leaderboard on the last hole, he had no clue. In Hogan’s favor, one of his closest competitors, Kluver, would triple-bogey 17 and double-bogey 18; Eckroat would bogey 18, giving way for a Hogan win by one stroke. Prior to the Maridoe Invitational, Hogan’s most recent top finish in collegiate play

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had been a pair of third-place finishes least season at the Iverness Intercollegiate and Tavistock Collegiate events. Now, Hogan is back at the top of the leaderboard and put up 10 birdies and 36 pars in the tournament on his path to victory in Carrollton. While Hogan won the event outright, the Texas Tech team as a whole would come in only eighthplace, with the Oklahoma State squad winning the team championship. Every athlete has a professional that they either want to play like or they have watched a lot growing up. For Hogan, it was renowned southpaw Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson.

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Santos-Silva to put individual goals aside for national title By RYAN MAINVILLE Staff Writer

This season’s Texas Tech men’s basketball roster is one that has suffered plenty of turnover from the year before. Leadership will be at a high demand with an equal number of returners and newcomers on the team. Insert graduate transfer forward Marcus Santos-Silva. After three seasons with Virginia Commonwealth University, Santos-Silva joins the Red Raiders having played more total minutes than anyone else on the roster. He is also the only senior on Tech’s roster. Santos-Silva is most known for his prolific rebounding ability and postcentric offense. His 620 career rebounds to this point are the 78th most among all NCAA Division I players since 2017-18, according to Sports Reference. His 828 total points since 2017-18 place him 81st among the same group of players. His experience and accomplishments have already earned him recognition as a member of his new conference. Santos-Silva was selected as Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year when the conference announced their preseason award winners in late October. “It’s an honor to get that recognition . . . but I didn’t come here at all for individual awards,” Santos-Silva said in a preseason media

HOGAN

CONTINUED FROM PG. 6 “A lot of people have said I play like Bubba Watson … it’s gone away though, I don’t shape it quite as much anymore, but I still like to play a little bit like him,” Hogan said. In 2012 and 2014, Watson won the Masters Tournament, representing his only two major championships. Six years later, Hogan has the chance to make history. After Hogan’s recent suc-

MANDI MCDONALD/The Daily Toreador

Texas Tech players huddle together before the start of the second half of the Texas Tech vs. Kansas men’s basketball game on Mar. 7, 2020 in the United Supermarkets Arena. Tech basketball will begin its 2020-2021 season against Northwestern State at home on Nov. 25 after their Spring 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. availability. “I came here to win the Big 12 and win the National Championship. The award is nice . . . but that’s not really my main focus. I’m more focused on the team goals and success.” Santos-Silva is coming off a junior season where he averaged 12.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, according to ESPN. His most notable performance last season came against George Mason on Jan. 5, 2020, when

he scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. His work in the post earned him plenty of trips to the free throw line. His 4.4 free-throw attempts per game last season were the 12th most in the Atlantic 10 Conference, according to ESPN. Despite the frequency at which he shot free throws, he shot them at an efficiency of just 55.1 percent, according to ESPN. Santos-Silva said this is the area the coaching staff men-

cess, he will return home in his next event, he said. Even though his family has since relocated to Lubbock, Hogan is originally from Cypress, which lies just inside the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston he said. He will return to his family and friends to play once again. “It is huge, just icing on the cake that it’s kinda my hometown event,” Hogan said. “A lot of my friends from high school are going to come out and watch, it’s really exciting.” The Houston Open will

begin play Nov. 5, where Hogan will look to build on his momentum and home-field advantage. But just like any other event, Hogan said he must remained focused on the goal. “Our coaches try to tell us do well on the controllable, try to be confident,” Hogan said. “We can’t do anything to control the score, so just control body language and attitude. I’ll just try to be confident and believe in myself and have fun.” @NicoSanchezDT

tioned they would work on first during the recruitment process. “We spent . . . basically the whole summer just focused on my free throw,” SantosSilva said. Santos-Silva said the amount of practice dedicated to this area has not only led to an improvement on just free throw shooting, but midrange jump shots as well. Off the court, SantosSilva was forced to make the move from Virginia all the

I came here to win the Big 12 and win the National Championship” way to West Texas without the opportunity to have inperson conversations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the recruitment

process had to be completed virtually. Meeting coaches for the first time, touring campus and discussing goals all had to take place over the phone. For Santos-Silva, this adjustment was relatively easy. “People thought it was hard, but for me honestly it wasn’t really hard,” SantosSilva said at a media availability. “My main focus was to go somewhere that’s a winning culture and could compete for a national championship. I remember the first day me and Coach Beard talked on the phone; all we talked about was winning the National Championship.” The desire for winning the National Championship is one of the main things Santos-Silva said he has noticed since arriving at Tech. “Everyone’s mindset, going from the head coach all the way to the managers, everyone here has the same exact mindset of winning the National Championship,” Santos-Silva said. “That’s what stuck out here with this culture.” Since practice has started at Tech, Santos-Silva said head coach Chris Beard has been the one pushing him the most. “When I first came here, I told him ‘Hey, I want you to be hard on me,’” Santos-Silva said. “‘Any little thing, always use me as an example, just coach me hard’ because it’s my last year and I need it.” @RyanMainvilleDT

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Texas Tech golfer Kyle Hogan on the Rawls Course during mens golf practice on Feb. 9, 2017. Hogan will enter his inaugural professional tournament at 1:05 p.m.on Nov. 5, 2020, at the Houston Open.