All eyes will be on Indiana on May 3 as the crucial Indiana primary takes place for both the Democratic and Republican Presidential Primaries across the state.
All candidates have been campaigning in Indiana, except Gov. John Kasich, who backed out to allow Sen. Ted Cruz a path to victory.
In turn, Cruz will back down in New Mexico and Oregon. Since this campaigning began, I met Cruz at the Indiana GOP Spring State Dinner, held in Indianapolis.
I’m hoping to have the opportunity to see or meet more of the candidates as they campaign around the state. I think it is wonderful Indiana is receiving national attention for its primary.
Considering the primaries are crucial to the process this election cycle, Indiana is receiving increased national media attention, and the campaigns are all traversing the state.
Candidates are spending money in Indiana, along with the media, and this will help Indiana businesses. Additionally, rallies may bring people into the state. Sen. Bernie Sanders even visited IU as part of his campaigning yesterday.
Although I do not align with Sanders’ beliefs, I think this was fantastic. It brings the front lines of the presidential election right to our doorstep.
Sanders’ visit to campus piqued students’ interest in the elections and politics in general.
Increasing civic engagement will only help the campus learn more about politics and the political process.
It will only do good things for our school, such as a possible increased membership in political organizations around campus.
This is the most important primary in memory for Hoosiers.
In most election cycles, the candidates are clear for both parties by this point in time, and the Indiana primary is a mere formality.
But this year, this is not the case. In these primaries, both Democratic and Republican voters have the power to turn the tide of the election cycle.
This sort of power may not fall into the hands of Hoosiers in the foreseeable future. It is important all registered voters actually get out and vote because each individual vote means more than it may ever again.
The nation’s fate hangs in the balance. The sense of political importance that the primary brings is no joke and this is a special opportunity that no other state may have.
Hoosiers will have the candidates discussing issues and appealing to them in an attempt to court voters. Whether Democrat or Republican, the decisions made by voters here have massive implications.
Who knows who will prevail? Either way, the national attention will be great for Indiana and IU.
I’m looking forward to see the results of the primary come next Tuesday.
staranyi@indiana.edu
