Students and teachers react to the governor’s race

Steven Gutierrez Jr., News Editor|October 21, 2018

Students and professors were asked their thoughts on the two candidates running in the California gubernatorial race this November.

People all around Cosumnes River College, students and faculty alike, were asked about their stances on the California gubernatorial race between Democratic candidate Gavin Newsom and Republican candidate John Cox.

“I tend to see California politics as an art form, not a science,” said Political Science Professor Dan Aseltine. “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”

Aseltine noted that having said all that, he believed that Gavin Newsom will be our next governor.

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I tend to see California politics as an art form, not a science.

— Dan Aseltine

Newsom has a long and extensive career as a politician and is currently running on a platform of social justice, fighting for women’s rights, defending immigrant communities, supporting the LGBT community, healthcare for all, gun laws and more according to Newsom’s website.

Cox, a businessman, is running on a platform that advocates for reducing taxes, more charter schools, fighting sanctuary state policies, pro-consumer healthcare system, clean energy, and fixing the housing crisis according to Cox’s website.

Newsom currently has a significant lead in the polls with a strong 51 percent against his opponent Cox who is trailing behind with 39 percent, according to a poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California posted on Oct. 2.

Students have a variety of reasons for why they will vote for a certain candidate.

“I’m voting for Gavin Newsom,” said 18-year-old philosophy major Annie Andrews. “I’m voting for him because he wants to make the state a zero carbon emission one, and as an environmentalist that resonates with me.”

Some students are voting for a particular candidate because the party they represent aligns more with what they believe in.

“I’m going to vote for John Cox for governor,” said 21-year-old history major Jacob Linebaugh. “I’m Republican and I, of course, am going to vote for the Republican party.”

Linebaugh said that it maybe good for change since the Democratic Party has been in charge of the state for years. Linebaugh said Cox’s campaign ad made him feel tied in and that Cox will help take care of the state.

20-year-old journalism major Halimeh Edais said she’s voting for Newsom because his views align with hers and explained why she’s not voting for Cox.

“I read up on Cox and I’m not really a big fan,” Edais said. “A lot of of the stuff he says appeals to the Californian people but at the same time I feel that once he gets the seat he won’t follow through with what he said.”

Despite the advantage Newsom has, Aseltine noted that even though California is a blue state there is a possibility that Cox can pull the impossible and win the race.

“I think the demographics of California have shifted dramatically since the Cold War, and those demographics trends tend to work against Republicans in this state,” said Aseltine. “However, in my mind this does not doom Cox to defeat. If things break his way, there is room for an electoral upset.”