Dressed in a two-piece charcoal Joseph A. Banks suit and two-toned blue tie, the Always Serving and Preserving party presidential candidate Domenic Martini leaned on the University Center balcony rail.
"We are not going to go on the offensive in this debate," Martini said. "Our party will get the student body more involved. Right now many don't even know what student government does."
He then faced his also sharply dressed vice-presidential running mate, Jalen Griggs, and began thumbing on his chest and humming. Griggs joined him in this "The Wolf of Wallstreet" styled chant.
At the same time inside the UC Bluff Room their opponent, current SGA President Ricky Kirby, sat sideways in his chair with one leg eccentrically crossed over the other. Wearing a bright-blue linen Stein Mart blazer, he rested one arm on the chair's back and explained that Martini used to be a member of his cabinet.
"He didn't officially resign, but it became clear, as far back as November, that he was going to run against me in the next election," Kirby said. "Actually, it was his running mate who let it slip. He cannot hold a secret."
This was the scene 20 minutes before the SGA debate between the incumbent Making a Difference party and rival A.S.A.P. party. SGA senate hopefuls and party supporters filled the seats.
MAD members sat behind Kirby on the right side of the room, while A.S.A.P. members positioned themselves across the aisle behind Martini. The only interaction between the two parties occurred when the leaders shook hands at the start of the debate.
The audience submitted questions for the candidates before and during the debate to moderator and election commissioner, Sheridan Sinclair. One of the more interesting questions she posed to the candidates was "What makes you better than your opponent?"
"One of the things I would criticize Ricky on was his inability to get the senate motivated," Martini said looking at the audience. "I think he did a lot of things by executive order, which is great, but getting the senate involved in everyday activities would really help them want to be there."
Kirby responded by stating he would in no way say he is better than Martini. Then he took a moment to flaunt his experience as president.
"I am the only president to ever keep all of the promises he made-that has never happened before," Kirby said, causing an eruption of applause from the right side of the room. "I have been involved in 20 different organizations, served on 13 executive boards and I know the voice of the students."
Both parties agreed on almost all of the issues raised during the debate, causing the moderator to ask the vice presidential candidates, "If you agree on so much, what is the difference between the two parties?"
"Martini ran with Ricky last year with the MAD party," Griggs said, A.S.A.P. vice presidential hopeful. "Campaigning was great but once they got into the senate they had troubles getting bills passed. (MAD) had some senators who were terminated only to be reinstated a short time late. Our senators are dedicated and have already come up with ideas of what they want to change on campus."
Prataj Ingram, Kirby's new vice presidential running mate, touted that MAD was not only a more diverse group of students than A.S.A.P., but they were also harder working.
"I do not believe you can effectively run an SGA that is supposedly the voice of all students if you do not have a diverse enough party," she said. "If you only have one type of people, you limit the ideas you generate. Our party is made of 80 of the hardest working students."
After the debate, Natalie Marking, A.S.A.P. candidate for Senator of the Art and Sciences College, commented that the MAD senators were not always effective.
"Their only job is to pass bills to further the University, yet there were not a lot of bills passed." she said. "That is an issue that could be fixed."
Amelia Durkee, MAD candidate for Senator at Large, gave her theory on why candidates agreed so much during the debate.
"Both parties have the same goals in mind, because students usually want the similar things," she said "The difference comes in leadership styles and how they plan on getting those things implemented."
