Clinton to speak at UTB-TSC rally

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will be in Brownsville on Wednesday to attend a rally at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.

Clinton will speak at 8 p.m. at the Student Union Lawn. The event is free and open to the public. The gates will open at 6 p.m. and organizers anticipate the crowd to be in the thousands.

UTB-TSC’s Student Government Association and the League of Student Voters invited all presidential candidates to campus to speak to the students and community, said Matthew Kendall, president of the Student Government Association, during a Monday press conference.

“It was Senator Clinton that has been the first candidate to accept that invitation,” Kendall said.

“We hope that in the future we will have other candidates come to our campus, address our students, address our community and to tell us how their policies and their thoughts on things are going to help enrich our lives down here in South Texas,” Kendall said.

Word of the Clinton’s visit “spread like wildfire” throughout the campus as reports circulated Monday afternoon that she might visit, Kendall said. The student group received confirmation from the Clinton campaign about 1:30 p.m. that she would attend a rally.

“Everybody is super excited. It is going to be pretty neat,” Kendall said.

Clinton’s visit is sponsored by the Student Government Association, League of Student voters and the Young Democrats of UTB-TSC.

With the latest polls showing Democratic presidential candidates Clinton and Barrack Obama in a virtual tie for the Texas vote, Clinton supporters said it’s more important than ever for the community to come out and show its support for the New York senator.

“I’m not shy. I support Senator Clinton,” said U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, at the announcement.

“She has not forgotten South Texas. She’s not new to South Texas. She has been here many times.

“They thought that Super Tuesday was going to settle the game. It’s not over yet and everyone one of you here today will be able to determine who is going to be the next president of the United States. This is the best government or civics lesson that you will ever get,” Ortiz said.

Clinton’s Brownsville visit will be the second of the day. She will be speaking before a crowd at 6:30 p.m. at the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo.

Gilberto Hinojosa, Democratic Party chairman for Cameron County, also reiterated the importance of Clinton’s visit and of getting out the vote.

“In your entire life you will probably not have a bigger opportunity (to determine an election) Â… This is the first time that in my lifetime Texas has made a difference on selecting the next president of the United States,” Hinojosa said. “Show Hillary that we appreciate the support that she showed us and Bill showed us over the years.”

What: Speech by Sen. Hillary Clinton

When: Wednesday, Feb. 20

Where: UTB-TSC Student Union Lawn