The votes are in and, well, they’re a bit surprising.
In an unusual and unexpected split-ticket outcome, your ASUPS President- and Vice President-elect are Eric Hopfenbeck and Santiago Rodriguez.
Both candidates are excited about the results, which were finalized at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12, though they admit the outcome is a bittersweet one.
“It’s bittersweet in that I was running with Krista, obviously, and it was my hope that we would be there together and that both of us would be implementing the changes we had planned,” Hopfenbeck said, “but Santi is one of my good friends, so it worked out.”
Rodriguez shared Hopfenbeck’s sentiments.
“I feel 100 percent comfortable working with Eric. It’s a bit bittersweet, but still good … I’m really, really happy about it, I just can’t celebrate in the way that I wanted,” he said.
Even though the final results aren’t quite what the candidates were expecting, both have high hopes for their year in office together.
“I definitely see us working well together since we are very good friends and we’ve worked well together in the past in ASUPS,” Hopfenbeck said. “I really see the benefit in having a split ticket because we both have really good ideas to bring to the table … I’m excited and I definitely think Santi and I will work well together.”
“I see the continuity of progress that ASUPS has made in the past couple years. And I see a strong team with good ideas, a lot of drive, a lot of passion and a lot of dedication to the students from both Eric’s side and my side,” Rodriguez agreed.
Further, both Hopfenbeck and Rodriguez commented on their surprise with the results.
Given the rarity of such an outcome—according to Rodriguez it has been over 10 years since a split ticket was elected to ASUPS office—it is hard to predict how well the candidates will work together and what compromises they will reach on various aspects of their respective platforms.
“The last time it happened, the [Vice President] resigned,” Rodriguez said.
Other positions elected into office on Tuesday were Ian Latimer and Vivien Jones as Senators-at-Large, Marc Fagaragan as Junior Senator and Alissa Hartnig as Sophomore Senator.
PHOTOS COURTESY / CHRIS PUTNAM AND GRACE WITHERELL
