Congressional candidate Angela Zimmann spoke to a crowd outside the Education Building Tuesday afternoon about what she said she knows best — students.
Taking time off to campaign, the former University General Studies Writing instructor spoke about her plans if elected.
She also said she thinks Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are not student-focused based on their plans for millionaire tax cuts.
Zimmann, Democratic nominee for U.S. House of Representatives in Ohio’s fifth district, will face off against incumbent Bob Latta in November.
“It means that once students graduate school, our taxes would increase to pay for tax breaks for the very wealthiest Americans,” she said. “It means that we’ve worked hard, scrimped and saved for a college education and now would have to struggle even more when getting started in our careers.”
Paying for college was a concern for freshman Sarah Ghose, who also gave a speech for the campaign.
“Without student loans, I wouldn’t be able to pay for college at all,” she said. “They truly have been a gift and I just want to make sure that other students are afforded the same opportunities that I have, and that’s why I am here today.”
Sophomore Michael Hart said he supports Zimmann because she is a teacher and cares for her students.
“She’s got us in mind,” he said. “She’s here surrounded by the students she’s taught.”
The students Zimmann has taught are who she misses the most, she said.
After teaching at the University for eight years, this is the first fall semester where Zimmann hasn’t been in the classroom. However, she said she hopes her time outside the classroom will benefit her students in the future.
“Students are always near the top of my radar,” she said. “No student should support Romney/Ryan because they are anti-student.”
Helping to stabilize the economy is also on Zimmann’s agenda.
“My number one priority is working to balance the budget,” she said. “I want people to pay their fair share.”
Zimmann has given multiple speeches at the University this year, including one in April focusing on student loan debt. She then spent her summer campaigning around the northwest Ohio area and fundraising for the election.
The thousands of voters she said she hopes to pick up from Ohio’s congressional redistricting makes this November “winnable.”
