Students had the opportunity Monday to meet with Congressman Mike Pence and other local candidates outside the Ball Communication Building.
Despite a small turnout at the Republican tent, candidates and group members stood out talking with students.
College Republicans stood around their tent from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., inviting students walking by to meet the candidates and learn more about their platforms. Holly Gillham, public relations chairwoman, said she was out all day holding signs.
"I got here at 10 a.m. and we set up a tent, and we got a lot of stuff going on," she said.
Gillham said many students walking by were unaware about Pence visiting campus.
"We have been advertising that Mike Pence would be here all day," she said.
Pence spent time talking with students. After days of touring the district rallying for local and state candidates, Pence said he received a good response from voters.
"We did 15 rallies in 19 counties, and I would say nowhere did we have less than 100 people show up for those rallies, it was really pretty extraordinary," he said. "There's a tremendous amount of enthusiasm among conservative voters and I believe that'll show up in the polls on Election Day."
Candidates running for prosecutor, county clerk, coroner and Center Township trustee were at the College Republican tent. Steve Fields, Republican candidate for county clerk, said students, especially those that live off campus, should care about their local candidates.
"When [students] live off campus, their rent is affected by how much property taxes are paid and local candidates," he said. "It's important to get good, prudent people that will be responsible, because the bottom line is that [local officials] affect the cost of living."
Pence said voters should understand that local politics have a greater effect on the community than what many think.
"I just think it's enormously important that anyone who is concerned about the size of its local government, deficits and debt recognize that at the end of the day, all politics are local," he said.
Pence said he has found that younger voters are showing more concern toward current issues on state and national levels and that it is positive for the elections.
"I get a sense that younger Americans are starting to figure out that all of the borrowing and the deficits and the debt are starting to fall on their shoulders," he said. "And that we have to produce leadership that's willing to roll their sleeves up, make the tough choices and not only get our economy moving again but deal with the mountain range of debt that we are handing on to the generation."
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