Senator Sherrod Brown spoke at Ohio U’s Baker Center, encouraging students to vote Democrat

Brown made a stop along the campaign trail at Ohio U to speak with students about Ohio U history, the lowering of student debt, and the “blue wave.”

[dropcap txtcolor="#234a83" style="dropcap1"]I[/dropcap]ncumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, spoke to Ohio University students Wednesday in Baker University Center about why they should vote for Democrats in the November midterm election.Brown, who is up for reelection in November, was invited by the College Democrats to present to an audience of about 70 people, which included Ohio U President Duane Nellis, Ohio U students, members of the College Democrats, and professors.Brown opened with an anecdote about President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s 1964 speech at Ohio U where he first introduced the term “great society” to Americans. The Great Society was a government program later created by Johnson to reduce poverty across America; it was the first time the federal government recognized that underprivileged kids should have the ability to attend college, Brown said.“That was a sea change for this country,” Brown said.[AdSense-A]If re-elected, Brown said he will work with the new governor to better fund higher education and work to allow students to refinance their loans in a way that can cut their interest rate dramatically.Bailey Williams, president of the Ohio U chapter of College Democrats, said he is an avid supporter of Sen. Brown. Williams believes that Brown is the best senatorial candidate for Ohio U students. “Sherrod Brown has been a strong advocate for lowering the cost of college,” Williams, said. “Ohio is sitting at 49th right now in college affordability. Sherrod is advocating against predatory lending when it comes to students applying for college loans.” Anthony Eliopoulos, the president of the College Democrats of Ohio, believes that Brown is the best senatorial candidate for Ohio U students because Republican Jim Renacci — Sen. Brown’s opponent — doesn’t want to assist students in debt, but Brown does, Eliopoulos said.“I definitely think there is going to be a blue wave,” Eliopoulos said. “I think the Senate is going to be a challenge ... the House, I’m eager. I think we’ll win it back."The so-called “blue wave” will involve Democrats reclaiming a congressional majority this November if student activists work to make it happen, said Sen. Brown. He encouraged students to work with the College Democrats and other political organizations, to volunteer for campaigns by knocking on residence hall doors and spreading the word.“Come Nov. 7 a bunch of students wake up and they think ‘Oh my god, I went to the polls for the first time and the people who I voted for won’ … You know what’s going to happen?” Brown said. “They’re all going to vote in 2020 and that will be the end of Donald Trump.”Brown explained his lifetime “F” rating from the National Rifle Association, a statement met with applause from the audience. Young voters are concerned with how much money politicians receive from the gun lobby following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, this past February, according to Brown. Brown said he had millions of dollars spent against his anti-gun lobby, but he is fine with it because of his newfound confidence in young people choosing to vote anti-gun.  “If students vote in as large of numbers, as I think they will, the whole world changes,” Brown said.