By Aliyah El-Muhammad
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD ー As the New Jersey primary approaches, Camden County College students expressed a range of opinions about the 2020 presidential election.
“Politics is invading my personal life, instead of only my political life,” said Macy Levicoff, a Rutgers Nursing Program student who said she takes courses on the Blackwood campus. Levicoff attended the Democratic rally held on Blackwood campus on Feb. 29.
Levicoff said she is more invested in politics now than ever before.
As a Democrat, Levicoff said she is not optimistic about the upcoming election. Levicoff said she believes the 2020 election will mirror President Donald Trump’s win in 2016.
“The last election showed us how much hate was out there,” Levicoff said.
But, Levicoff finds hope in another candidate, Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Levicoff said she thinks the candidate stands up for herself and wants to see a change from male leadership.
“I would like to see a woman president,” Levicoff said of her support for Warren.
Levicoff said she believes a Warren victory, which would be the first by a woman in the history of the U.S. presidency, would be a demonstration of “women supporting other women.”
Colin Colebrook Jr., a first-year political science major at Camden County College, described himself as a moderate with some left- and right-leaning values. He said he prefers two Democrats, Sen. Bernie Sanders and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, for president.
Colebrook said he supports Bloomberg because of their shared origin in New York and because of what Colebrook described as Bloomberg’s ability to be direct and not talk around things.
Colebrook said he supports Sen. Bernie Sanders because of what Colebrook described as the candidate’s capacity to keep his cool.
Colebrook said he is unsure which candidate will become the Democratic nominee and run against Trump in the 2020 general election. Four days later, on March 4, Bloomberg dropped out of the race.
“Trump overpowers you with his words,” Colebrook said.
Jessica Bonamassa, a communications student at Camden County College, said she believes this election centers around getting Trump out of office.
“It’s focused on anyone but Trump,” Bonamassa said.
Bonamassa said she got frustrated over politics during previous elections but lately she has been “almost clueless” about elections.
Bonamassa said she is a Republican who respects some Democratic policies.
“Their willingness to protect Medicaid and Medicare is beneficial,” Bonamassa said.
Bonamassa also attended the Democratic rally held on the Blackwood campus to become familiar with the platform of the Democratic party.
She said she believes some policies offered by Democratic candidates, such as universal health care, will damage the economy in the long run.
New Jersey’s primary will take place June 2. The general election will be Nov. 3.
A Democratic rally attendee and a counterrally attendee point fingers at each other outside of Papiano Gymnasium at Camden County College. By Aliyah El-Muhammad, CCC Journalism Program