We at The Rocket believe that voting is not only your right as an American citizen but your responsibility. We do not want this to be understated. This election is important. Your vote is important. Who you vote for is important. As we get closer to the election, the calls to vote should be recognized, but an idea of who you will vote for should start to form. After weeks of hearing from political campaigns, campus officials, student organizations and non-profits about registering to vote, now is the time to exercise the right. The differences between the candidates running for the top offices in our commonwealth are more pronounced this election cycle than possibly any race before this. Recently, the Republican candidate for governor of our commonwealth threatened violence against his opponent, promising to “stomp all over” Governor Tom Wolf’s “face with golf spikes.” The Republican running for the U.S. Senate Lou Barletta was an early supporter of Donald Trump, advocates for Trump’s border control agenda including the proposed wall at the southern border, consistently supports anti-choice legislation and voted for the Republican tax plan causing the deficit to skyrocket. For these reasons and many others, The Rocket staff encourages students registered in Pennsylvania to vote for Tom Wolf for governor, John Fetterman for lieutenant governor and Bob Casey for U.S. senator. Governor Wolf’s strong stances on voting rights, funding for education at the state level and improved access to healthcare for Pennsylvanians make him a candidate The Rocket Staff is proud to have as governor. Wolf’s runningmate John Fetterman is the only statewide candidate to visit our campus this year and made a lasting impression on the students he spoke to here. He is a friend to unions across the state and secured the endorsement of our faculty and staff through the APSCUF union. Bob Casey has faithfully served the people of Pennsylvania for years and will continue to keep our best interests at heart. Even though these statewide races are important, your local races are just as, if not more, important. We encourage voters to research all candidates who will appear on their ballot and make educated decisions about who should hold office at every level of government.
