Democratic candidate emphasizes education
Democratic gubernatorial candidate and USU alumnus Peter Cooke began his address in the TSC Auditorium Monday night by celebrating the recent football win, and said that he is proud to be an Aggie.
“Utah State is a good school, it’s the best school,” Cooke said. “And when we beat the U, I was the happiest guy in the history of my life. That was important to me, it shows that an underdog can win.”
USU students and faculty gathered in the TSC Auditorium for a question and answer session with the candidate, where Cooke emphasized the importance he is planning to place on education if he is elected.
“Our state in the present administration pushes low wages and high education,” Cooke said. “That doesn’t work for me. I think we have to have higher wage rates, we have to be able to take our state to the next step.”
Cooke said that education is about getting high school students more prepared for college. He said his own personal philosophy is that students leave college unprepared for what the job market is really like.
“I am very concerned about our economy, what happens to students when they graduate, and where they’ll get jobs, where they’re going to use their professional intelligence.”
Cooke said he plans to implement an economic development plan that would help students pay off their school loans. Students would have the opportunity give back by doing service hours at various government and community organizations. In turn, a fund would then help those who volunteered pay off their education loans.
“It will be a good way to get people to participate in the community and in the education programs which need a lot of help,” Cooke said. “It would start to relieve the burden of student loans in an economy that’s not too strong.”
Cooke said that one of the main differences between incumbent Gary Herbert and himself is that he has background as a small business owner and looks at the direction in which the state of Utah is headed.
“The studies are coming out that keep saying we are number one, or we’re the best place,” Cooke said. “But it’s like looking at a good car with a bad engine.” He said we are well educated, have a good environment and location, but we have low wages. “There’s no engine to drive it to the next step.”
There is a great need for a stir in the economy, Cooke said.
“I don’t think it’s going in the right direction, so we need to put money in education,” he said.
He said the state needs to get the young people to stay in the state after graduation.
“Presently we spend $467 million bringing outside businesses into Utah,” Cooke said. “I would rather spend that money on helping people here grow other businesses.”
Cooke said he represents a solid background both in in business and military.
“I think I can really bring what it takes to have more of an open policy more of a view of where we’re gonna go as a state,” Cooke said.
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Briana Bowen, president of the USU College Democrats, said one of the biggest things that stands out in Cooke’s campaign is the emphasis he places on education.
“The wonderful Democratic candidates we have running this season, not only for state offices but for federal offices, really are placing a huge priority on education, and it’s critical,” said Bowen, a junior majoring in political science. “You have an educated populace and you end up with a good economy, you end up with cleaner environment. Educated people are the drivers in the 21st century.”
Bowen said the fact that General Cooke and Scott Howell have education at the top of their lists really strikes home not only with a lot of students but with the direction Utah is heading. She wants to see Utah become a place where people want to grow, go to school, work and eventually retire.
“All of that is contingent on having a community that is willing to support education,” Bowen said.
Students at the question and answer event said Cooke’s emphasis on education is an important part of his campaign.
“That’s obviously something Utah’s lacking on and I’d like to see some changes with that,” said Dani Gomm, a junior majoring in English and social studies.
“I think he’ll do a good job at bringing some new ideas to the table as far as education goes,” Gomm said.
She said that regardless of which party you affiliate with, having some form of competition in the election is very important.
“You get to see a lot more ideas than just one side,” Gomm said. “It will help both parties be more productive.”
Bowen said Cooke has an advantage by having extensive experience in the military and small business.
“His military career is just remarkable,” Bowen said. “He has the advantage of being able to call upon his military service for the sake of efficiency in running a streamlined state government, which pleases everybody. We have a smaller government for Republicans, we have a more efficient government for Democrats.”
– tmera.bradley@aggiemail.usu.edu