Robbie Zimbroff and William Wagstaff officially declared this week their candidacy as the first registered ASSU Executive slate. With Stanford 3.0, a spoof slate, as the only current competitor, Zimbroff-Wagstaff have initiated the process of interested candidates seeking to become our new student government president and vice-president.
Their entry comes amidst speculation over whom Stewart Mcgregor-Dennis will pick as his running mate this spring, and what almost became a vitriolic campaign begun by ASSU Senator Daniel DeLong, another potential Exec candidate.
Thus far, Zimbroff-Wagstaff are running on very sane campaign platforms. According to the ASSU voter guide, they want to address “real problems” with “real solutions.” These include improving dorm communities (Zimbroff-Wagstaff claim three years of RA experience), rethinking late night dining, and provide easier access to community and public service. Their platforms also include incredibly specific, smaller-scale goals, such as providing buses to Big Game, and setting up a textbook exchange program.
Beyond this, however, Zimbroff-Wagstaff have very little to offer other than two or three more bullet-point ideas. Although, honestly, the simplicity is a breath of air, I am concerned as to how well this slate will shape up its platform over the next few weeks. While a minimalist approach to platform-building is never a bad idea, unless that platform is broader, and can stipulate action items, Zimbroff-Wagstaff may be in trouble when voting season comes around.
It is also fair to note at this point that Zimbroff and Wagstaff have only declared their candidacy, and do have some time to actually flesh out a broader platform. It would be wise to watch them campaign, especially in comparison to the ASSU Exec veteran Mcgregor-Dennis, and others who will, in the upcoming weeks, register their candidacy.