'A purplish state': Voters descend to Westerville for 4th Democratic debate

Students, protestors, officials, and demonstrators painted a Columbus suburb red and blue in preparation for the debate.

By Brooks Sutherland / The Blade
Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:04:13 GMT

WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Enthusiastic voters from all over the country descended Tuesday onto Otterbein University’s campus, where they rubbed shoulders with people of differing political beliefs at the fourth Democratic presidential debate.

Students, protesters, elected officials, and demonstrators painted the Columbus suburb red and blue, supporting their respective political parties and calling out members of their opposition. Arguments over gun control, an impeachment inquiry into President Trump and socialism vs. capitalism dominated Main Street, where people from all walks of life showed up. Chants and counter-chants echoed through the campus,with a heavy police presence nearby.

When the debate began, hundreds filled the Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall for the debate watch party, where they took in the event on a big screen. A panel consisting of Otterbein debate team members and university faculty members warmed up attendees to issues of women’s rights, college tuition prices, and the large field of Democrats running for president. As candidates were announced before their opening statements, crowd members roared when the candidate of their choice was called.

Folks started walking around campus to check out the scene as early as 11 a.m. Tuesday as police stood ready for crowds expected to pile in during the evening.

Stuart Skopec, 22, of Columbus, didn’t vote in 2016. As an independent, he’s been following the campaign trail recently and plans to vote in 2020. He’s leaning toward voting for a Democrat, likely Elizabeth Warren or Andrew Yang, he said, and opposes President Trump.

“America right now is kind of losing its standing in the world with what’s going on with Turkey and Syria, the Kurds,” he said.

Stephen Parlato, 65, of Boulder, Colo., planted himself on campus early in order to display his large balloon that protests the mascot of the Democratic party, a donkey, and to also denounce President Trump. His balloon on one side depicts a donkey with flags and reads “Dems forward,” while the other side displays images of snakes, which he says represent “the likeness” of the President with the words “the only antidote is your vote,” beside it.

“I think that symbol is very tainted for us,” Mr. Parlato, a Democrat, said about his party’s mascot, which dates back to Andrew Jackson. “And it’s not appropriate or enthusiastic enough about what’s needed for the Democrats to come together at the end of this nomination process as one single political force to unseat this administration.”

While many Otterbein students were off campus for fall break, those selected in the school’s lottery for tickets to attend the debate circled campus in anticipation.

“I was really excited, because I was like, ‘You know a lottery system’ … there’s a small chance I would be chosen,” said Democrat Julia Jablonski, a 19-year-old music education major from Jamestown, N.Y. “So, when I got an email that I was chosen, that was literally awesome because that’s history right there.”

“I think it’s so historic and it’s so important for our generation, especially to be super involved in this whole process.”,” said Joseline Martinez, a 19-year-old global studies student from Grove City, Ohio, who also scored a ticket to the event.

At about noon, Bill Groom, a 33-year-old Trump supporter from New Philadelphia, Ohio, began walking around campus with an AR-15 strapped to his waist. He said he came to campus because he wanted to defend his Second Amendment right.

“[I came] specifically to tell any presidential candidate who is wanting to take my AR-15, my AK-47, I’m here to tell them ‘hell no, they will not,’” Mr. Groom said. “And also to show that in the right hands, an AR-15 is not a threat.”

Carol Dunitz, of Ann Arbor, Mich., was spotted in full red, white, and blue garbs holding a sign that read “Dump the Trump.” Ms. Dunitz, an Elizabeth Warren supporter, was promoting “2020, the musical,” which she wrote.

“If you’re a liberal, you’ll enjoy 20 of the songs, if you’re a conservative, you’ll enjoy 15 of them,” she said.

Off-campus on State Street, businesses were bombarded with customers who piled into local restaurants. At the corner of State and Main streets, folks ran into Bob Kunst, a gay, Jewish, Trump supporter who displayed provocative anti-Democratic signs such as: “Impeach disgusting Democrats,” and “Hillary for prison.” Mr. Kunst said he’s a registered Democrat, but has become “sick of listening to the crap that’s coming from my party.” He said he had voted for Democratic candidates for all of his life until former President Barack Obama.

“I’m here to take a stand supporting Trump and expose the Democrats for being the phonies that they are,” Mr. Kunst said.

Anthony DeStefanis, an associate professor of history at Otterbein, said because roughly 70 percent of the school’s students are from Ohio, they are a good representation of how the state votes.

“The student body here reflects Ohio politics and being kind of a purplish state,” he said.

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