Republican politicians John Featherman and Mike Assad visited Main Campus.
During its weekly meeting yesterday, the Temple University College Republicans hosted two republican congressional candidates.
Although Vice President of TUCR Darin Bartholomew said that the group’s “overall goal is to get people to support our candidates,” he noted that it’s also important for students to be involved in politics in general.
TUCR President Erik Jacobs encouraged the 20 or so students in attendance to get involved in these candidates’ campaigns by signing petitions to get them on the ballot, and to raise support.
MIKE ASSAD
Twenty-four year old, but 25 by election night, Mike Assad is an unconventional candidate to challenge incumbent Frank LoBiondo for the U.S. Congress seat for New Jersey’s second district.
“I’m not what people are used to, but what people are used to is part of the problem,” Assad said.
Congressman LoBiondo has been in Congress for 18 years, after allegedly vowing in 1995 to only have a term of up to 12 years. Assad promises that if he wins the seat, he will only have a term of up to 12 years.
“Being in office for a long time removes them from reality,” Assad said. This removal from reality is a large contributing factor to the nation’s debt, he added.
“I think the people in Washington don’t have to live with the debt they’ve imposed…they won’t have to pay off the debt. [Younger generations] will,” Assad said.
Assad said his use of social media is a strength. Many politicians are removed from their constituents, he argued.
Assad’s main political experience comes from being on a school board, which he ran for in order to bring a high school to his hometown where students are sent out of district to finish their basic education.
Although he hasn’t gone from local, to county, to state politics, as many national politicians do, Assad said he doesn’t want to go that way.
“Being different is my biggest asset,” Assad said.
JOHN FEATHERMAN
At the group’s meeting, John Featherman started his portion of the evening by showing students an editorial from the Philadelphia Inquirer about the Yorktown ordinance requiring most landlords who rent to college students to live on the premises.
Featherman said the reason he is running for Congress for Pennsylvania’s first district is “because I believe you can make better decisions for yourself than the government can.” He plans to challenge Congressman Bob Brady (D-Pa.) for the seat.
The landlord law is a “fascist” law that basically tells college students that they need a chaperone, he said.
During the republican primary for Philadelphia mayor, Featherman lost to nominee Karen Brown in a tight race.
In 1998, Featherman took on Brady for his congressional seat, but lost.
In his first campaign against Congressman Brady, Featherman released a shocking video that attracted national attention, he said, adding that that he has even more extreme videos in the works for this time around.
“I want Brady occupied. I want him busy…once he sees this video, I guarantee you he will be upset,” Featherman said.
Sarah Fleischman can be reached at sarah.fleischman@temple.edu.
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