Candidates running on the executive ticket showcased their platform ideas during a debate Sunday night in front of about 200 students, as the Feb. 24 and 25 Student Government elections loom closer.
They answered questions for nearly two hours in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom for the Freshman Leadership Council's fourth annual SG debate.
Representatives from all four political parties running were present-the Keg Party, the Orange and Blue Party, the Progress Party and the Unite Party. But two-thirds of the Keg Party's executive ticket was absent, including vice presidential candidate Russ Ward and treasurer candidate Elizabeth Stinson.
Jordan Johnson, presidential candidate for the Unite Party, said he was pleased with the student turnout, adding that there was room for improvement.
"It looked that about 75 percent had party T-shirts on," he said.
The debate served as a venue for candidates to share their party's platform and personal view on sustainability, textbook pricing, free printing and online voting.
"We pride ourselves in being the party that has supported online voting, getting the nearly 6,000 signatures to have it on the ballot," said Orange and Blue Party presidential candidate Mark McShera.
One party took a lighter approach when speaking on the issues.
"I dream of the day I can engage in student government the only way someone should engage in student government," said Frank Walch, presidential candidate of the Keg Party. "In my home with my arm around my keg."
Walch frequently referenced the word "keg" or "beer" in his responses.
Keeping UF's libraries open 24 hours a day was also a hot topic.
The Orange and Blue Party did not support the idea, which was a main point on the Progress Party's platform.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year," said Brandon White, treasurer candidate for the Orange and Blue Party. "This is how much it costs to open a library 24 hours a day for a year. We cannot fund this."
Progress Party presidential candidate Ben Dictor disagreed.
"Absolutely, this can be done," he said. "To say 'It can't,' is pessimistic."
Bickering and mudslinging occasionally ruffled up the flow of discussion as candidates spoke on differing party ideas.
"Jordan Johnson and the Unite Party talk a good game about changing Student Government, but the students know better than that, because he is part of the same old Gator Party, through and through," McShera said.
Later on, Johnson called attention to White, who criticized both Johnson and Unite several times throughout the evening.
"Sen. White certainly has a different opinion with my party than he did two weeks ago when he came and interviewed with my party," he said.
Meanwhile, Dictor expressed his irritation at the arguing.
"Again the bickering, did you hear it?" he said, while Walch replied via proverb.
"You don't stop a cock fight by adding more cocks to the fight," he said.
