The Daily Gamecock

Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: News

After another series of executive SG elections, the results are in.

Andrew Gaeckle won president in a landslide victory, while Meredith Ross and Jonathan Antonio won the vice presidency and treasury with solid margins.

Gaeckle, a third-year international studies student, immediately began hugging his campaign staff and supporters as soon as he heard the results.

"We're all excited and we've really worked hard. I had some butterflies but I'm glad it's over so we can just get back into the groove," Gaeckle said. "We put all this hard work into [the campaign] and up until the results come out you really don't know what's going to happen."

Gaeckle said his next step is to get oriented with his position as president and will be shadowing Jay Laura in order to get mentored.

Meredith Ross, a second-year political science student, said she was very excited.

"We have our last senate meeting soon and then we're going to hit the ground running with next term," Ross said.

Jonathan Antonio, a second-year accounting and finance student, said he can't wait to get into office and start working.

"I'm just relieved for the student body. I just feel passionately about me being in office," Antonio said. "I'm just ready and I wish I could get inaugurated tomorrow because there are a lot of things I want to get going."

Antonio said he has a few plans he wants to complete as SG president pro tempore and a member of the finance committee before he begins his treasurer position.

"I want to put legislation on the board before I complete my senate term. My first step is to sit down with [SG officials] who have been here for a long time and research what we have now in order to find better ways to go find money," Antonio said.

Allen Klump, a fourth-year political science student, said he is content with the election results.

"I think the individuals who were elected will be good ambassadors for the university. They will really be able to represent the best interest in the students to the administration," Klump said. "Gaeckle has been active at USC, is very genuine and really cares about student issues."

Valesha Woodley, a first-year accounting student, said she voted for the defeated candidates but thinks the winning candidates will still do a good job in office.

She said she went to the debate with an open mind and felt candidates Alesha Brown, Deshawn Mitchell and Randy RaShad Gaines were stronger and clearer in expressing their platforms.

"They actually had a platform. They didn't try to diverge from their platform," Woodley said. "When [Gaeckle, Ross and Antonio] were answering questions at the debate they kind of stuttered and muttered but the other candidates like Alesha and Deshawn knew what they wanted and gave a positive outlook."

Klump said he believes that SG is important and hopes that its reputation will be more positive.

"We have an opportunity to show them that Student Government can be a more positive voice for USC," Klump said. "I looked at who would be the best representative for all the students."

Before the results were announced, Brown received a violation at a Constitutional Commission meeting earlier last night and a half-point infraction.

The complainant said she violated "no campaign material may be placed in an official polling location," when the complainant was voting in Gambrell Hall and saw a lab staff member wearing an "Alesha Brown for President" T-shirt.

Randy Gaines also had a violation brought against him but it was dismissed due to lack of evidence.

The Final Countdown

President

Andrew Gaeckle: 71.34%
Alesha Brown: 28.66%

Vice President

Meredith Ross: 58.54%
DeShawn Mitchell: 41.46%

Treasurer

Jonathan Antonio: 58.99%
Randy Rashad Gaines: 41.01%

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