University Star

Obama supporters were thrilled with this year’s presidential turnout, but the results left an open-ended question looming in the air for Republicans: what went wrong?

Michael Hufschmid, College Republicans president, said this year’s election brought disappointment locally and nationally.

He said President Bush might have had a negative impact on the representation of their party.

“It is very unfortunate because McCain is nothing like Bush,” said Hufschmid, criminal justice senior. “Any politically informed person knows McCain and Bush differ greatly. He left a bad taste in the Republican party and McCain paid for it, even though he was the better candidate.”

Hufschmid and fellow College Republicans are now faced with the challenge of reorganizing their party on campus.

Steven De La Cerda, public relations chair for College Republicans, said Obama appealed to young voters, which he said helped him win the election.

“Obama won this election due to the high turnout amongst young voters,” said De La Cerda, public 

administration junior. “This is historic and I am 

proud that our generation was motivated 

enough to go out and vote, regardless of their 

political ideology.”

De La Cerda said Bush had a negative impact 

on the Republican Party because the American 

people attribute the current economic crisis to 

his administration.

“Justified or not, the media, liberals and some Republicans have definitely magnified his controversial policies and decisions,” De La Cerda said. “Which has had a negative impact not only on Republicans, but Bush himself.”

De La Cerda said he is thankful Texas remained a red state after the November elections, though it was not enough to get McCain in the White House.

He said Nov. 4 was a sad day for conservatives 

because of the loss in the presidential and 

congressional seats.

The U.S. House witnessed a rise in Democrats by a 36-seat majority.

De La Cerda said the government is turning over to a more liberal leaf, but history shows the pendulum will swing back to the conservative side.

“What needs to be done and is so vital for the Republican Party, is to regain their identity and run with it,” De La Cerda said. “They must get back to the core conservative ideals that Ronald Reagan preached and acted upon, and stay true to those ideals.”

Hufschmid predicted the Republican Party will bounce back in 2012.

“I most definitely think the Republicans can and will bounce back,” De La Cerda said. “Americans are not oblivious to the socialistic views of the liberals, it just happens that Republicans do not carry out what the conservative values are and Americans lose trust in them. I am certain the next election cycle will consist of more Republican seats along with a 

presidential victory.”

Hufschmid said he thinks people who voted 

for Obama will be “highly disappointed four years 

from now.”

“I think we will take the White House back next term,” Hufschmid said. “The liberal fad will die down.”