Paul Dietzel II, a 27-year-old Republican congressional candidate and University alumnus, tried to keep things fresh at his 2014 Campaign Kickoff by playing up his youth and potential for “bold, new ideas.”
The rally, which took place Friday at the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel, featured former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, who tried his hardest “to make some noise” for Dietzel at the event.
Dietzel, grandson of Paul Dietzel, the first LSU football coach to win a national championship, is running to represent Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District, which includes the city of Baton Rouge. The district’s current representative, Republican Bill Cassidy, plans to run for U.S. senator later this year against Democrat incumbent Mary Landrieu.
Dietzel stressed the need for candidates like himself, who could connect with younger voters while maintaining their principles.
“Conservatives need more dynamic communicators who can reach out to the next generation of voters,” Dietzel said.
When asked about the state of higher education in America, Dietzel again advocated for new ideas from young leaders in government.
“Higher education is completely broken in this country,” Dietzel said. “We can’t be controlled by ways of thinking from the past.”
Alice Reynolds, liberal arts junior, said she does not believe Dietzel’s age hinders him as a candidate, and instead thinks voters should concentrate on the policies Dietzel is striving for.
“What matters is whether or not you can do the job,” Reynolds said.
Anna Pikus, computer science sophomore, said it is up to candidates to prove themselves, and she sees Dietzel’s youth as a potential positive for his campaign.
“When you’re younger, you have a different outlook on things,” Pikus said.
Dietzel also highlighted his business credentials throughout the event, emphasizing his role in founding Anedot.com, a website that gives political campaigns and non-profit organizations the ability to collect and manage donations.
“He has an understanding of what success looks like,” Cain said.
Dietzel took aim at President Barack Obama and Congress during his address, accusing them of “waging a war on young Americans” by bankrupting the current generation.
When it was time for Cain to take the stage, the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO energized the crowd and urged the audience to take their country back.
“We need to send Paul Dietzel to Washington,” Cain said, “because it’s time to make some noise.”
Following the rally, Cain revealed a few of the reasons he endorsed the candidate.
“He has integrity, Christian faith and intellectually, he’s sharp,” Cain said.
“We can’t be controlled by ways of thinking from the past.”