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By Amanda Riddle
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 4, 1996
An Arizona Daily Wildcat poll conducted last week among UA students showed President Clinton is favored over Republican nominee Bob Dole by 22 percentage points - five points more than a national tracking poll.The poll, conducted in the Memorial Student Union and on the UA Mall, showed that 45 percent of students favored Clinton, 23 percent favored Dole, 3 percent favored Ross Perot and 29 percent were undecided. The poll surveyed 178 students over a two-day period.
GiGi Stephens, business junior, said she would vote for Clinton because he will benefit college students more than a Republican in the White House.
"Clinton is against cutting student funding. He seems to be more into promoting students," Stephens said.
Wednesday's USA Today/CNN/Gallup tracking poll showed Clinton was favored nationally by 53 percent; Dole is favored by 36 percent and Perot is favored by 6 percent. The poll surveyed 764 registered voters.
"How is America supposed to progress when we switch presidents every four years and change the strategy of running the government," said Ricardo Becerra, business freshman.
Becerra said he was also worried that Dole is not aware of the issues that concern minorities.
Jeoff Spencer, accounting junior and member of the College Republicans, said he likes Dole's economic plan.
"Under the Republican plan, there might be less money available in the student loan program, but the program would still be there," Spencer said.
Spencer said he believes the money the government gives to college students is increasing the spiraling interest rate of the national deficit, which will cost more money to students after they graduate.
Some students said they did not support Clinton or Dole.
"I think we need something new. We've done the Republican- Democrat thing for over 200 years," said Ryan Andrew, management information systems sophomore.
Another student suggested that Colin Powell would be a great leader.
"Powell/Kemp in 2000," said David Wilson, molecular and cellular biology senior.
A statewide Arizona Republic/Phoenix Gazette poll conducted shortly after Clinton's Sept. 11 Sun City visit showed that Clinton held an 18-point lead in Arizona. The poll surveyed 542 Arizona registered voters.
A Democratic presidential candidate has not won in Arizona since Harry Truman did in 1948.
A concern among many students was that they were not informed enough to make a decision between any of the candidates.
Denise Hart, international business junior, said she is going to look at some of the political sites on the World Wide Web to learn about the candidates' viewpoints, and she is also going to watch the debates before making her decision.
The first presidential debate is scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m. with a vice-presidential debate Wednesday and a second presidential debate Oct. 16.
ASUA will hold "Debate Watches." Starting at 6:30 p.m. each night, students can meet in the Arizona Stadium Presidential Skybox to watch the debate and then discuss the issues addressed.
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