Rio Phillips, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, spoke at a campus rally Saturday, Jan. 31, outlining his campaign priorities and engaging with students and community members despite below-freezing temperatures.
Phillips held the event, titled “Take Down the Tyrants,” near the Memorial Fountain outside the Memorial Student Center at noon when temperatures were around 16 degrees Fahrenheit. The rally was open to students and community members and included a speech followed by questions from attendees.
Phillips said the event was intended to provide an opportunity for direct interaction between candidates and voters without reliance on party leadership or large donors.
“I hold this event to practice my free speech and my free assembly with you,” Phillips said. “We are a people-focused, people-funded campaign.”
Phillips described himself as a progressive, working-class Democrat and said his campaign does not accept corporate or foreign lobbying money. He said his platform focuses on infrastructure investment, access to clean water and creating economic opportunities that would encourage residents to remain in West Virginia.
“One of our greatest exports is our graduates,” Phillips said, adding he wants to address the economic factors that lead students to leave the state after completing their education.
Several Marshall University students said they attended the rally to hear directly from the candidate and learn more about his positions.
Biology major Tian Ferguson said he attended because he wanted to hear Phillips discuss issues affecting the state.
“We’re tired of seeing our state be exploited and not moving forward,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson said college campuses are important spaces for political engagement, particularly for younger voters who may be participating in elections for the first time.
“College campuses are one of the most important audiences you can have,” Ferguson said.
Psychology major Kenzie Perrine said she attended the rally because of concerns about issues such as education, housing and access to clean water.
Perrine said events like the rally provide students with an opportunity to learn about candidates beyond campaign advertisements or social media posts.
Criminal justice major Savannah Parsley said she learned about the rally through social media and decided to attend to hear more about Phillips’ campaign.
“I saw it on social media and started looking into his campaign,” Parsley said.
Parsley said campus visits help engage young voters who may not otherwise attend political events.
“It gets people who may not be experienced with political climates or policies out and asking questions,” Parsley said.
In a one-on-one interview following the rally, Phillips said Marshall was an important location for his campaign because of its student population and regional significance.
Phillips said his experience differs from other Democratic candidates in the primary who have spent years in elected office.
“My experience comes from grassroots organizing,” Phillips said.
When asked about recent media coverage involving other candidates in the Democratic primary, Phillips said voters should consider both policy positions and personal conduct when evaluating candidates.
Phillips said his campaign plans to continue holding events across West Virginia ahead of the May primary and intends to return to the Huntington area.
Phillips stressed engaging directly with voters remains a priority for his campaign.
“Huntington is an important place for Democratic outreach,” Phillips said.
David Lozano can be contacted at [email protected].
