Laura Donovan's Blog

Because high school sweetheart break-up stories are over-dramatic and amusing, I wish the Associated Press would have reported my own, but then I’d be on the same level as Bristol Palin. For a national news story, this article had very few details regarding the nature of Palin and Levi Johnson’s break-up. Sounds a little like high school to me, to tell you the truth.

Young Palin and Johnson are the parents of a 2 1/2 month-old infant, and they were engaged until this alleged break-up. They may have called it quits, but they’re stuck with each other now that they have a baby.

I always thought commentators were too hard on Sarah Palin and her family, and even though Bristol Palin didn’t make any smart decisions in the past year, I feel very sorry for any broken home.

Sympathies aside, I can’t help but wonder if the situation would have played out differently had Senator John McCain been elected president last November. Young Palin and Johnston could have been having problems as early as then, as shown in the news segment below:

Johnston, 19, told The Associated Press that he and 18-year-old Bristol Palin mutually decided “a while ago” to end their relationship.

If Palin were Vice President, would she have let this happen? Would she have told her daughter to stay with the baby’s father? I suspect ultra-conservative Palin would have wanted to maintain a semi-normal portrait of her family. Different election results could have potentially “saved” Bristol Palin’s relationship. This is all hypothetical, but I raise a few interesting points in regards to what could have been.

By 8:40 p.m., the Kiva Room of the Student Union Memorial Center was overflowing with eager UA students. Kenny Ho waited until 9:20 to read election results, so candidates mingled and talked until then, some more visibly anxious than others.

At the beginning of the night, many candidates greeted each other with hugs in the center of the room, wishing each other luck and creating a positive atmosphere. Senatorial candidate Nick Jones, who ended up receiving the lowest number of senatorial votes, sat in the back row for most of the night, waiting for the results to be read.

Sun-burned senatorial candidate Tyler Quillin took a seat in the middle row, literally at the edge of his seat in anticipation. After campaigning from 10-6 yesterday and 10-8 today, Quillin was exhausted but in high hopes. Sarah Bratt, another senatorial candidate, sat in one of the front rows with her boyfriend to her left, clutching his hand.

ASUA Senator, Emily Fritze and Sentorial candidate, Hillary Davidson had much support from their Chi Omega sorority sisters, who sat together in a row and stood up to gather for a group photo of more than a dozen girls.

Some candidates dressed the professional part while others donned laid-back attire. Senatorial candidates, Ryan Klenke, Bratt, Quillin, Leo Yamaguchi, Jones, and Katherine Weingartner all wore suits or formal wear while their opponent, Jason Bral sported a t-shirt with black and yellow stars. Presidential candidate, Shane Cathers had on a black striped button-up shirt with rolled up sleeves.

By nine p.m., some candidates were not hiding their anxiety. Bratt continued squeezing her boyfriend’s hand, her face grave. Quillin, too had the support of his significant other. He tugged her hand as he took deep breaths. From across the room, Ruiz was doing the same thing, and the others around him remained silent. Luckily, these three candidates got elected tonight, so their worries were unnecessary.

Other candidates seemed more relaxed. Fritze laughed with ASUA senator and Administrative Vice Presidential candidate, Gabby Ziccarelli, who sang with students sitting behind her. Students continued chanting “Bear Down,” and Gabby once again joined in. Also at ease was incumbent senator, Stephen Wallace, who sat in the front row and joked with other ASUA members.

Cathers seemed MIA until 9:00 p.m., twenty minutes before he learned he was not elected ASUA president. Students cheered as current ASUA members entered the room and set up the table and laptop.

Students cheered at the announcement of every elected candidate, but most of the room went absolutely insane when Nagata got elected. Students jumped up from their seats and practically mauled Nagata, who was ecstatic. Cathers received a standing ovation when his results were read.

Most defeated candidates walked out with poise, dignity, and composure. Jones greeted and thanked supporters on his way out the door, walking away with class. Klenke hugged all candidates, tears in his eyes. Bratt choked up out of happiness, having moved up from 11th place in the primaries to 10th in the elections. Her campaigning paid off, and she looked satisfied.

The full election results can be read in my previous entry.

Here are the results. I’ll next report on the event atmosphere.

With the 2nd highest number of ballots in recorded history, the winners are:

President:
Chris Nagata – 3162 votes (68 percent)

Shane Cathers- 813 votes (17 percent)

Administrative Vice President:
Gabby Ziccarelli- 3494 votes (83 percent)

Executive Vice President:
Emily Fritze- 3509 votes (82%)

PIRG REFERENDUM

DID NOT PASS (52 percent)

SENATE

James Brooks-1,538 votes (6.27%)
Katherine Weingartner-1520 votes (6.24%)
Eduardo Atjian II- 1510 (6.20%)
Hillary Davidson- 1503 votes (6.17%)

Ryan Ruiz- 1417 votes (5.82%)
Tyler Quillin- 1392 votes (5.71%)

Daniel Wallace- 1382 votes (5.67%)

Stephen Wallace- 1357 votes (5.57%)
Leo Yamaguchi- 1328votes (5.45%)
Sarah Bratt- 1315 votes (5.40%)

Ryan Klenke- 1204 votes (4.94%)
Jeremy Davidoff- 1187 votes (4.87%)
Monique Villalobos- 1149 votes (4.17%)
Dominick San Angelos- 1130 votes (4.64%)
Jordan Searles- 1104 votes (4.53%)
Chase Slater- 1055 votes(4.33%)
Jason Bral- 916 votes (3.76%)
Aaron Elyachar- 865 votes (3.55%)
Eric Hudson- 703 votes (2.89%)
Nick Jones- 679 votes (2.79%)