Katie Thompson defeated opponent John Cuenin with 62 percent of the vote Wednesday night to become Student Government’s next vice president. “I feel a little jittery; I’m shaking,” the second-year public relations student said immediately after the election results were announced to the gathering of campaigns and supporters in the Russell House. “It’s a great feeling; I’m totally floored.”
Thompson’s family was by her side as her victory was announced.
“I’ve very proud of Katie. She worked really hard, and she does at lots of things in life, and she’s successful for it,” her father Chuck Thompson said. “She really worked for it.”
Thompson’s sister Emily, currently a senior in high school and a future Gamecock, embraced and congratulated her sister for her win.
“I’m amazingly proud. It means a lot to her, I know,” Emily Thompson said. “She was so stressed.”
When asked what his campaign could have improved to win, Cuenin said he should have visited more student organizations.
“I might try for secretary of academics for the advisement program here at Carolina, but I’ll reassess what I want to do a year from now, and I’ll probably be running for another executive position next year,” said the second-year political science student.
Cuenin attempted to woo Greek voters by proposing the elimination of parking tickets in the Greek Village during mealtimes. He later retracted the plan. Thompson, however, may have clinched the reliable Greek demographic from the start with her membership in Delta Delta Delta.
Thompson complimented her competitor’s campaign, saying she admired him greatly.
“I’ve seen him grow so much from when I met him in Senate,” Thompson said. “I’m so proud of him.”
Mitchell Jackson, Thompson’s campaign manager and a political science and history student, said his candidate’s record won her the election.
“Her work for Student Government over the past two years, it speaks for itself,” Jackson said.
Thompson is currently SG’s chairwoman of the Safety and Transportation Committee. She will assume her new position next semester.
“It’s going to be fun. I’m going to be meeting with all the committee chairs to make sure they personally know each senator,” Thompson said. “It’s not about me now; it’s about the 47 people in Senate.”
Thompson said her primary goal as vice president will be to make SG more efficient.