University Beat

USF Students Take On Presidential Politics In New Hampshire

WUSF | By Mark Schreiner

Published February 23, 2016 at 7:49 AM EST

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USF St. Petersburg students Kristina Sonstroem and Victor Sims work a phone bank in Salem, NH, for Hillary Clinton.

Mark Schreiner / WUSF 89.7 News

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"Road to the White House" students experience snow. Victor Sims: "We were excited because...we don’t see snow, so we’re just ‘Yeah, we’ll go canvassing!’ and then, thirty minutes, we’re like ‘Oh god, why did we go canvassing?'"";s:3:"uri";s:

Alyssa Winston

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Miranda Latimer and Georgia Pevy campaign for Marco Rubio. Pevy: "I am proud of the work we've done here in the Granite State and we can hold our heads up high."

Georgia Pevy

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Alyssa Winston and Samantha Kendall go door to door for Bernie Sanders. Kendall: "Just the opportunities that we’ve had and the people that we’ve met, it’s really just been incredible."";s:3:

Alyssa Winston

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Emily Hughes presents her candidate, Jeb Bush, with a class t-shirt. Hughes: "I get a good vibe from Jeb and the more I talk to him, the more I feel comfortable in my vote for him."

Emily Hughes

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Terran Winegeart meets his candidate, Donald Trump. Winegeart: "I must say, my face was frozen into a certain stupid face. But I'm willing to take some grief considering the fact that most people will never have their arm around Donald Trump."

Terran Winegeart

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Randi Doan poses with her candidate, Hillary Clinton. Doan: "No matter what the outcome is I think the Hillary campaign ran a strong organization and will continue to get stronger as the results of other primaries come in."

Randi Doan

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David Thompson changed from Martin O'Malley to Marco Rubio just days into the trip when O'Malley dropped out of the race. Thompson: "I knew that being part of Rubio's campaign would be a once in a lifetime experience."

David Thompson

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Students met other candidates, even if they didn't campaign for them. Here, Ted Cruz backer Nicholas Encinas poses with Carly Fiorina. Encinas: "It’s been an amazing experience. I’m definitely going to be thinking about this trip for a long time."";s:

Nicholas Encinas

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Members of the class (Dr. Judithanne McLauchlan at bottom right) pose with Jeb Bush.

Road to the White House

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The class meets Marco Rubio.

Road to the White House

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Donald Trump poses with the class t-shirt.

Road to the White House

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Candidate/political satirist Vermin Supreme (left) was pretty popular with the students, including Rubio backer Christopher Happel. The performance artist's platform includes the promise of a free pony for every American.

Christopher Happel

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Hillary Clinton supporter Antonio Permuy meets former President Bill Clinton. Permuy: " I never would have thought that I'd leave (New Hampshire) having shaken both Clinton's hands twice."

Antonio Permuy

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Students campaigning for Hillary Clinton convinced former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean to join them and a Hillary cardboard likeness for a picture in the snow.

Road to the White House

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Samantha Kendall shows off the tattoo she got of the state of New Hampshire. Kendall: "I want to move to New Hampshire one day."

Mark Schreiner / WUSF 89.7 News

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One of the highlights of Samantha Kendall's week was talking with MSNBC host Chris Matthews for 20 minutes. Kendall: "After Chris left, the three of us (students) looked at each other in disbelief...had that really happened?!"

Samantha Kendall

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The students were interviewed by media from all over the world. Sanders backer Emily Thatcher spoke to CNN.

Road to the White House / CNN

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CSPAN also spoke to the students volunteering for Sanders.

Road to the White House / CSPAN

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Emily Hughes appeared on Buzzfeed's Twitter feed.

Road to the White House

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A Miami TV station spoke to the students at a Marco Rubio rally.

Road to the White House

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A French journalist interviews Patrick Bateman at a Sanders rally.

Road to the White House

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Samantha Kendall was interviewed by Al Jazeera.

Road to the White House / Al Jazeera

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The students who backed Trump and Sanders pose for a victory photo at the class' Election Night watch party.

Mark Schreiner / WUSF 89.7 News

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Some of the class on the flight from Tampa to New Hampshire, much more bright-eyed than they were on the flight home.

Road to the White House

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23 students plus luggage meant three vans had to take the class from the airport to their hotel.

Road to the White House

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A stack of empty pizza boxes - the staple of a campaign - at Rubio headquarters. Unnamed student: "If I never see another slice of pizza again, I'd be happy."

Georgia Pevy

Almost two dozen students in a USF St. Petersburg political science class traveled to New Hampshire to work on presidential campaigns in advance of the first in the nation primary elections.

WUSF’s Mark Schreiner joined them in the Granite State, following the group through the last two hectic days of campaigning.

USF Students Take On Presidential Politics In New Hampshire

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