GORHAM, Maine -- Students of various political stripes at the University of Southern Maine are preparing to welcome Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, who plans to visit USM’s Gorham campus Saturday during a two-day campaign trip to Maine.
Some students are excited about the congressman’s visit, including Mark Truss, 23, a sophomore criminology major from New Jersey. Truss is a Democrat who’s not bound by party lines.
"I’m interested in learning about all the candidates," Truss said Tuesday. "I pretty much watch what happens and try to figure who’s best to run the country."
Other students aren’t interested in Paul’s pending visit, including Sean Rothgaber, 21, a junior from Hollis who’s studying information technology. He’s an independent voter who leans left.
"Ron Paul wouldn’t be my candidate of choice anyway," Rothgaber said. "I like his foreign policy best out of all the Republicans, but I’d go for Romney because he’s the least right. I think the world would like us a little bit better if we didn’t have our foot down everyone’s throat."
Paul is scheduled to speak at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Hastings Formal Lounge, on the first floor of Hastings Hall. The event is free and open to the public. The rest of Paul’s schedule for Friday and Saturday is being developed, said Ryan Flowers, the candidate’s deputy state campaign chairman in Maine.
