This weekend, I had the unique opportunity to travel to South Carolina and volunteer for the man who I am confident will be our next president. I drove six hours from Salem, Virginia to Clemson, South Carolina because I felt called to do everything in my power to make sure Marco Rubio won the primary election in the Palmetto State.
Friday, February 19th, 11:00pm
Just a few days ago, I was made aware of another great opportunity to deploy to South Carolina on behalf of Students for Rubio. As the SFR chairman at Roanoke College, I knew this was an exciting opportunity to work for Marco Rubio on the ground. One other member, Nick Will, and I left Salem for the six-hour drive, excited and anxious to get to work. After several traffic jams, one-horse towns, and the famous Gaffney Peachoid (as made famous in House of Cards), we arrived to a rally at Clemson University. As we walked about half a mile from where we parked, I heard the booming voice of the great Senator Tim Scott.
We approached the rally and standing on stage was the future of my party and the future of the conservative movement. Senator Tim Scott, the first Republican African-American member of Congress from South Carolina since 1897, Governor Nikki Haley, an Indian-American governor from a dark red state, and Senator Marco Rubio, a Latino senator who will be our next president. Anyone who says the Republican Party is “too white” should have been there in the crowd. After meeting some other students from across Virginia, I stood there and took in the moment. Here I am, far from home, for what purpose? My purpose was this and continues to be this everyday: to make sure this next century is the greatest our nation has ever seen, and it is going to take a new generation of leaders like Senator Scott, Governor Haley, and Senator Rubio to make it happen.
Tomorrow is Election Day and I am sure it will be “a great day in South Carolina”!
Saturday, February 21st, 2:00pm
The Anderson headquarters is a-buzz with volunteers making phone calls to potential Rubio voters. Anderson County, South Carolina has the highest percentage of undecided voters in the state, which is why we are here. By the way, to anyone who says the Republican Party is dominated by old white people, you should see us in this room. The average age of volunteers here is 22 years old. About 15 college students from Virginia, myself included, are ready for a new American century, and that is exactly what we are telling voters in Anderson and across the Palmetto State.
Sunday, February 21st, 12:45am
The tension has left the South Carolinian atmosphere and is headed towards Nevada. After making 1,000 phone calls to voters across the state, we drove another two hours to the Rubio Headquarters in Columbia. Upon arriving, we walked upon a hurricane of reporters, supporters, and other volunteers all packed into a converted warehouse, ready to watch returns and eagerly waiting to hear from our next president.
I truly believe what happened this evening in Columbia was an experience I will not soon forget. After watching Trump’s victory speech, we watched the future of the conservative movement walk onto the stage right in front of us. Congressman Trey Gowdy, Senator Tim Scott, and Governor Nikki Haley brought the crowd to a deafening roar. Governor Haley, whom I predict will be our next Vice President, introduced Senator Rubio and his family. He walked out with a smile on his face and his family by his side. In this moment, I did not even think about all the problems we are facing as millennials or even as a nation.
Rubio did not pander to the fears we have as a party or as a people. Instead, he used the conservative message to unite all factions of the party and all types of people. This is why I spent every hour of my weekend here. This is why we made a thousand calls to annoyed voters in South Carolina. This is why we drove to several polling places across Anderson to talk to voters. This is why we put up hundreds of lawn signs across the area. This is why I, as a college student, invest my time and money in Marco Rubio. To move the nation forward, yet at the same time stay grounded to conservative principles, we need to elect Rubio and I am glad over 165,000 voters in South Carolina agree.
Winston Churchill once said “I was not the lion, but it fell on me to give the lion’s roar”. We were the lions today and boy, did Marco roar.
Lastly, remember that part about Virginia Students for Rubio making 1,000 phone calls on Election Day? Rubio beat Senator Ted Cruz by about 1,000 votes. If this does not highlight the shear importance of volunteering and voter contact, then I do not know what will.
Here’s to the people of South Carolina! Here’s to Jeb Bush for being a class act (look for his endorsement of Rubio before next week) and here’s to the people of Nevada! Eight days until Super Tuesday!
