In just weeks, the volleyball court in the University of Colorado’s Coors Student Events Center will become the court of public opinion.
CU will host the next Republican Primary debate on October 28. The event is sponsored by the Republican National Committee and will be broadcast on CNBC.
Among those hoping to score tickets were members of the CU democrats, who watched tonight’s debate in anticipation of what is to come.
“I think it’s important to keep up with both sides. I think if you just only watch your side or the side that you’re into, then you don’t ever really get a full view of what really is in the whole political system,” said student Ty Miller.
“I believe that it is very, very important to get both opinions and both sides,” said student Natalia Philatova.
CU is in full scale planning mode in an effort to coordinate media, security and the general public. CU spokesman Ryan Huff traveled to the first debate site in Cleveland, Ohio.
“I think the biggest takeaway from when I went to Cleveland was that, we knew the event was big, but it’s on a much larger scale than you can imagine,” he said.
This is a grand event for the GOP, putting Colorado and its role as a swing state on the national stage.
“I think the Republican Party is sending a signal to citizens of Colorado they are taking the state seriously and the state’s votes matter,” said CU political scientist Srinivas Parinandi.
Ticket distribution is still being determined Huff said.