Daniel Hernandez Jr., Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ intern who provided her with first aid after she was shot on Jan. 8, is one of three candidates for ASUA president next year. There are 25 other candidates running for the executive and administrative vice presidential roles and 10 senate seats.
James Allen and Hector Araujo round out the other Associated Students of the University of Arizona presidential candidates. Hernandez was recently appointed as a director in the Arizona Students’ Association after heavy involvement with ASUA, James Allen works in current President Emily Fritze’s cabinet as her chief of staff and Hector Araujo was a former student body president at Pima Community College before transferring to the UA last semester.
The two executive vice presidential candidates are Bryan Ponton, who works with ZonaZoo, and Monica Ruiz, also an ASUA member.
Executive Vice President Katherine Weingartner is not seeking re-election.
Administrative Vice President Brett Ponton is seeking re-election, along with Darren Brown, Ponton’s chief of staff, and Brittany Steinke, executive director of 2011 Spring Fling.
Chad Travis is the only current ASUA senator running to retain his seat.
Michael Weingartner, Jarrett Benkendorfer and Carlita Cotton, all on the ASUA Appropriations Board, are running for spots on ASUA Senate. Jason Brown, who does secretarial work for ASUA Senate is also running for senate. Raymond Arvizu, who ran for senate last year, Kyira Hankton, ASUA diversity chair, Robert Rosinski, an active student veteran, Chandni Patel, vice president of public relations for the Residence Hall Association, and Erik Lundstrom, president of the Young Democrats, are all also gunning for spots on the senate.
Marielos Castro, Blanca Delgado, Danielle Dobrusin, Kevin Elliott, Nina Grubisic, Shan Harris, Dylan Janis, Elisa Meza and Josh Ruder are all also senate candidates.
There will be a candidate meeting today, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m., in the Tucson Room of the Student Union Memorial Center. The meeting is open to both candidates and students who want to learn more about these candidates and the elections process this spring, including running with slates and the campus-wide election week.
