Senator Klobuchar announces presidential bid
Park reacts to Minnesotan candidate
Senator Amy Klobuchar initiates presidential campaign at a rally Feb. 10. at Boom Island.
February 14, 2019
After Senator Amy Klobuchar proclaimed her campaign for the 2020 presidential election in the midst of a snow storm Feb. 10, sophomore Evelyn Gutzke said she is excited to see more diversity in the White House.
“I think she will and she has a lot of people supporting her,” Gutzke said. “I’m excited to see a woman as president and I support her, and I think she is amazing. I think she will and she has a lot of people supporting her.”
“I stand before you as the granddaughter of an iron ore miner, as the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman, as the first woman elected to the United States Senate from the state of Minnesota, to announce my candidacy for president of the United States,” Klobuchar said at the outdoor event on Boom Island, according to the New York Times.
Freshman Jacob Khabie said Klobuchar’s ability to unite Minnesotans and Americans will allow her to gain support for the Democratic nomination.
“I think she’ll go far because she is in the middle of the democratic spectrum so she isn’t too far left but she isn’t too centrist either,” Khabie said.
Khabie said he expected Klobuchar to announce her presidential bid for the 2020 elections.
“Just to know that our senator is running for president is a really exciting thing,” Khabie said. “She is after all one of the more successful senators in the senate right now.”
Sophomore Sam Swisher said he does not believe Klobuchar will win the democratic nomination.
“I think that it’s a waste of money for her to run,” Swisher said. “I don’t think she’s strong enough of a leader. I don’t think she is well-known enough to be the democratic nominee.”
Senior Brahim Bouzrara said he feels Klobuchar has built a strong support base within the Twin Cities that will benefit her in the race.
“From what I’ve heard about her, she has been doing good as our senator. My parents endorse her, I’ve heard a lot of people endorse her so I think it is good that we have someone from Minnesota who a lot of people endorse running for president,” Bouzrara said.
According to CNN, Senator Klobuchar will answer questions at a town hall moderated by the network at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire at 9 p.m. Feb. 18.
While she does have widespread support among Minnesotans, sophomore Elliot Salmon said he thinks Klobuchar’s irrational ideas and poor financial decisions do not make her an acceptable candidate for the presidency.
“I know a lot of people really like her and appreciate what she’s done and so I think she’ll go far enough, but I think she’ll just fall short of the democratic nomination,” Salmon said.
Bouzrara said he holds a newfound sense of power knowing he is able to vote in the upcoming presidential elections.
“I can actually feel like I participated in the government, meaning if Klobuchar were to get elected and if I were to vote for her and then I’d feel like I had an impact on what happened in the country,” Bouzrara said.
With the numerous allegations toward Klobuchar’s mistreatment of her staff members, Swisher said these questions could be detrimental to her gaining the Democratic nomination.
“I don’t know if those are true but I think that will be a big part of the opposition’s party to her,” Swisher said. “I know that there are a lot of people running right now and there’s probably going to be more.”
According to the New York Times, as of time of publication, Senator Klobuchar is one of 12 Democrats that have announced their candidacy for the 2020 presidential elections.
