Greek Week closed Thursday night with the Greek Life Candidate Forum, which gave gubernatorial candidates’ representatives a platform to answer students’ questions.
Representatives for two Republican gubernatorial candidates spoke at the event, held at the McKimmon Center, about their candidates’ platforms and campaign tactics. A representative for one Democratic candidate for governor also made an appearance, although he did not give a formal address.
To ensure that this forum did not turn into a debate, each representative had to wait in another room while other representatives were speaking.
Katie Shields, a freshman in business management, said she came to the event undecided.
“I’m undecided about who I want to vote for in the primary but whoever it is they will be Republican,” she said.
The event was open to all students, but Greek Life students received credit from their organizations for attending. Of the 40 students in attendance, four asked Bill Graham and former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr’s representatives questions.
Patrick Lawson, Graham’s spokesman and a junior in political science, said Graham was “the conservative candidate” and spoke of his stances on immigration, the fetal homicide bill and the role of affirmative action in college admission.
Lindsey Wakely, Orr’s representative, said Orr’s main concerns were with economic development, education, transportation and health care.
“[Orr] feels government should be held accountable for education,” Wakely said. She added that the government should invest further in pre-kindergarten education.
According to Wakely, Orr was one of the first Republicans to have a seat in the Court of Appeals.
Braxton O’Neal, a freshman in business management, asked Lawson what Graham would do about workers who have lost jobs to illegal immigrants, and Lawson told him to go to Graham’s Web site for answers.
Jeff McGee came to represent Beverly Purdue, a Democratic candidate for governor, but did not give a formal address to students. He instead set up a table with informational packets and stickers that advocated Perdue.
Sara Prevo, a freshman in fashion and textile management, said the forum did not change her stances on candidates.
“I’m still undecided on who I’m going to vote for,” she said.
