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University shines at mayoral debate

The mayoral debate between Heather Fargo and Kevin Johnson was engaging, informative and, at times, downright tense, but through it all, University students made the grade with their thoughtful questions and participation.

Broadcast live from the University Union Ballroom on KCRA and KXJZ, the mayoral candidates answered questions from the student audience and also fielded taped questions from students, which KCRA had filmed on campus two weeks back.

“Sac State’s students were the big winners at last week’s debate,” says University President Alexander Gonzalez. “They asked the tough questions that are important to their futures, as well as to the future of our city. This informative dialogue was precisely what we envisioned when we brought this debate to campus.”

Accounting major Brandon Walker was part of that dialogue. Early in the broadcast, he asked both the candidates about crime.

“My question was, ‘With the rise of crime in Sacramento, what will you do about the gang violence that plagues our city?’ And they said what I expected to hear,” says Walker. “They said we had to start with the schools. I was happy with their response, and I enjoyed being in the spotlight for a moment.”

Walker also appreciated the town hall format of the debate. “It had more of a personal feel to it, because the audience was asking the questions and there were no teleprompters. Both the candidates were engaging directly with the students.”

Government professor Kim Nalder was also in the audience during the debate. “It was heartening to see students ask serious and often student-focused questions of the candidates,” she says. “I felt proud of the students. They represented themselves and Sacramento State very well.”

Nalder found it troubling, however, to be in the room watching candidates ignore questions and ignore format on a few questions, and instead attack each other. “At home, I would have just shouted at my TV screen, but in person, it was especially difficult not to yell, ‘Answer the question!’  

“I thought that Fargo won on points, in that she demonstrated that she is in touch with the reality of budgets, roles, and limitations of city government,” Nalder says. “Johnson won on style with optimistic rhetoric which may be unrealistic, but was nevertheless engaging.”