Duke College Republicans endorses Giles, 40 Percent Plan

Duke College Republicans are pleased to announce their endorsement of The 40 Percent Plan and Will Giles for DSG president.

Let’s be honest. DCR is probably not one of the most well liked groups on campus. Our active membership is not particularly large, and no more than one fourth of Duke students voted for Romney in 2012. Ostensibly, we are one of the groups that would stand to lose the most under this plan, at least if you believe what the DSG opposition says (President Stefani Jones declined our invitation to attend an endorsement meeting). We believe, however, that this is really a debate about process, not outcomes. Most groups, including our own, are not likely to see their funding dramatically changed. The 40 Percent Plan does improve the funding process by enhancing transparency and encouraging more active involvement in student groups. Those are outcomes we should all want for the Duke community.

Having met with the three candidates for DSG president, we were most impressed by Will’s commitment to serving the student body in its entirety, rather than a collection of special interests. While it is true that Will does not come from the traditional DSG pipeline, he has been misleadingly labeled as a DSG “outsider.” As an associate justice on the DSG Judiciary, he has a thorough understanding of the DSG constitution and by-laws and the issues that are important to the student body.

We believe Will’s unique perspective distinguishes him from the other two candidates, as well as candidates in years past. He has identified a number of issues with the structure of DSG that he intends to rectify. We share his view that members of the Executive Board should not vote in the Senate and his belief that the existing system of checks and balances is severely lacking. We have chosen to endorse Will because he represents a much-needed change to the status quo.