Just before voting went live, the GUSA Elections Commission held a final town hall for presidential and at-large senator candidates. The presidential candidates clarified their respective campaigns and policies through various audience questions.
Saahil Rao (SFS ’27) and Darius Wagner (CAS ’27), who are both running for president, aligned on many of their values when it came to protecting student culture and elevating free speech. Wagner has coined his approach to the issue as “Let’s Crack Down on Crackdowns,” while Rao campaigned on similar policies with a “Save Vil A” focus. Both candidates address the plans to renovate Vil A, as well as the recent enforcement updates in citation policies by the Resident Assistants.
When asked why Wagner chose to run for GUSA, this time as a presidential candidate—he explained that the decision was not motivated by any sort of power grab. Instead, he said, it stems from a desire to expand on what he learned during his term as vice president.
“I recognize how powerful that institutional knowledge that we have, from the connections that we build, from the policies that we have made progress on and we have delivered on, from the connections that we have with admin, that we’ve been cultivating,” Wagner said. “All these are very valuable for being able to really build on the policies that really impact students.”
The vice presidential candidate for the Hughes-Williams ticket, Mikey Williams (SFS ’28), attended the town hall from the audience, on behalf of the campaign. Williams is running with Luke Hughes (SFS ’27), who is currently studying abroad in Australia. Williams retracted their campaign’s previous statement on police presence on campus, where Hughes supported GUPD at club events to increase campus safety.
“It wasn’t our most thought out answer,” he said.
He also acknowledged that he and Hughes will be looking to the other candidates for their insight.
“If we were elected, I’d want to get more opinions from people like Saahil and Darius who have more experience in these things,” Williams said.
Despite previous limitations from the university, Wagner remains hopeful on the amount of change GUSA will be able to accomplish through their intimate connection with Georgetown administration.
“One thing I’ve learned from this job up close is yes, there are many bureaucratic red tape and institutional roadblocks. But what I’ve also recognized is that you’re really able to deliver on good things for the students through your direct line to admin,” Wagner said.
Throughout the conversation, Wagner and Rao maintained a lighthearted environment, cracking jokes with one another, bonding over their newfound shared campaigning experiences, and even adding on to one another’s answers with similar points and agreements.
When asked about their biggest barrier in this race, Wagner and Rao both referred to the lack of communication between themselves as private candidates, before external factors like campus press and Georgetown’s anonymous social app, Fizz, got involved.
“We haven’t been able to establish a good back channel between the both of us to work things out before shit hits the fan, and I wish that could’ve happened,” Rao said.
However, they reinforced that there remains one cardinal difference between themselves—one that students must ultimately decide between.
“There’s two very competent, very qualified candidates in this race. The choice is just if you want GUSA’s focus on Georgetown, or do you want it to also take on national stuff?” Rao asked.
Wagner, however, offered an opposing perspective.
“I think that’s where we disagree. I think we can do both,” Wagner responded.
