Two Republican candidates vying for Marco Rubio 's Senate seat said that though college tuition is too expensive, Sen. Bernie Sanders plans for tuition-free college don 't add up.
“As much as I respect Mr. Sanders … I think if he’s going to offer free tuition, something is wrong with that idea,” said Senate candidate Dwight Young, a Pinellas County sheriff’s deputy. “I don’t see where we are going to get the money to afford it.”
The University of Central Florida College Republicans invited all Republican candidates to debate Monday in the Nicholson School of Communication, but Young and Howard Knepper, a Miami businessman, were the only two who accepted.
Elaine Sarlo, UCF College Republicans chairwoman, was a moderator for the debate, …show more content…
Knepper said he would take $100,000 of his $175,000 senatorial paycheck each year and start a fund that feeds into the Florida school system. Young said those who agreed to serve their country for six years should have their college education paid for by the government.
Both candidates were strongly opposed to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the country.
Young said that those entering from Muslim countries need to provide verification because "most Muslim countries do hate America," but that there are plenty of Muslims working for the government and a ban is discriminatory to them. Knepper agreed, saying that banning an entire race was ridiculous and not something the American people would support.
“That’s a really simple answer. I wouldn’t ban them yesterday, I wouldn’t ban them today, and I wouldn’t ban them tomorrow,” Knepper said. “You start with Muslims, who’s next?”
But Knepper did agree with Trump’s proposed wall to secure the Mexican border.
“The wall should be built. I’m going to go for the wall and a lot more than the wall,” Knepper said, citing the need to prevent drugs from entering the …show more content…
Ken Vehec, professor of psychology at UCF moderated the debate alongside Sarlo.
Sarlo said she surveyed her peers beforehand to see which issues were most important to them, and hopes to make the debate the first of many targeting millennial voters.
“We try to make it geared more toward our generation, issues that our generation cares about, so that’s why we call it The Millennial Debate Series,” Sarlo said.
“Right now people at UCF have the opportunity to come and listen and potentially hear what their next senator has to say,” she added.
Shane Barnes, freshman nursing major and registered Republican, said he attended the debate for extra credit in his psychology class, but walked away with an interest in learning more about senate elections.
“I expected it to be me just sitting here, but I actually find it pretty interesting,” Barnes said.
Monica Green, freshman health sciences preclinical major and democrat, said that she disagreed with most of the candidates’ views but was glad to learn more about where they stand.
“Even though I don’t agree with their standpoints, now I know what they advocate for, so I know what I don’t want as a candidate for senate for Florida,” Green
“As much as I respect Mr. Sanders … I think if he’s going to offer free tuition, something is wrong with that idea,” said Senate candidate Dwight Young, a Pinellas County sheriff’s deputy. “I don’t see where we are going to get the money to afford it.”
The University of Central Florida College Republicans invited all Republican candidates to debate Monday in the Nicholson School of Communication, but Young and Howard Knepper, a Miami businessman, were the only two who accepted.
Elaine Sarlo, UCF College Republicans chairwoman, was a moderator for the debate, …show more content…
Knepper said he would take $100,000 of his $175,000 senatorial paycheck each year and start a fund that feeds into the Florida school system. Young said those who agreed to serve their country for six years should have their college education paid for by the government.
Both candidates were strongly opposed to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the country.
Young said that those entering from Muslim countries need to provide verification because "most Muslim countries do hate America," but that there are plenty of Muslims working for the government and a ban is discriminatory to them. Knepper agreed, saying that banning an entire race was ridiculous and not something the American people would support.
“That’s a really simple answer. I wouldn’t ban them yesterday, I wouldn’t ban them today, and I wouldn’t ban them tomorrow,” Knepper said. “You start with Muslims, who’s next?”
But Knepper did agree with Trump’s proposed wall to secure the Mexican border.
“The wall should be built. I’m going to go for the wall and a lot more than the wall,” Knepper said, citing the need to prevent drugs from entering the …show more content…
Ken Vehec, professor of psychology at UCF moderated the debate alongside Sarlo.
Sarlo said she surveyed her peers beforehand to see which issues were most important to them, and hopes to make the debate the first of many targeting millennial voters.
“We try to make it geared more toward our generation, issues that our generation cares about, so that’s why we call it The Millennial Debate Series,” Sarlo said.
“Right now people at UCF have the opportunity to come and listen and potentially hear what their next senator has to say,” she added.
Shane Barnes, freshman nursing major and registered Republican, said he attended the debate for extra credit in his psychology class, but walked away with an interest in learning more about senate elections.
“I expected it to be me just sitting here, but I actually find it pretty interesting,” Barnes said.
Monica Green, freshman health sciences preclinical major and democrat, said that she disagreed with most of the candidates’ views but was glad to learn more about where they stand.
“Even though I don’t agree with their standpoints, now I know what they advocate for, so I know what I don’t want as a candidate for senate for Florida,” Green