Candidates Ponder U.C. Election Loss

Bud Light in hand, Undergraduate Council presidential candidate Benjamin P. Schwartz ’10 told his running mate last night that he was worried she wasn’t drinking enough.

But as she waited with Schwartz to find out the results of this year’s student government elections, vice-presidential candidate Alneada D. Biggers ’10 appeared to have her mind on other concerns.

“A hell of a ticket and a hell of a campaign,” Biggers said before the results came in.

Other supporters, gathered in the Democracy Center on Mt. Auburn Street, shared similar ideas.

“We love Ben and that’s all that matters,” said current UC Representative Alyssa M. Aguilera ’09, an inactive Crimson editor.

At 9:47pm Schwartz got a phone call. He and Biggers left the room together soon after, returning to tell the crowd that they had lost.

“We did not win the election,” Schwartz said. “It didn’t work out for us.”

The failed presidential candidate, who called for off-campus social spaces in his campaign platform, encouraged the crowd to take advantage of the capacious Democracy Center space—and the remaining supply of alcohol.

“We have the space for a while so let’s rage our faces off,” Schwartz said.

After addressing the crowd, Schwartz walked around the room hugging and thanking supporters.

“I’m fine,” Biggers said after the loss. “It’s definitely disappointing...People really did believe in us.”

While “Universal Waste”—a prominent UC election blog written by several UC insiders and members of the Harvard College Democrats—had been predicting a blowout, Schwartz’s ticket was felled by only 66 first-place votes.

‘BRING JOY TO HARVARD CHILDREN’

When election results were released online yesterday evening, presidential candidate Michael C. Koenigs ’09 was nowhere to be found.

Koenigs left campus early for his home in Denver, Colorado where he spent the night with his family.

“It’s not appropriate to celebrate,” campaign manager Ryan W. Taney ’09 said.

The night before Koenigs acknowledged that he would be surprised if his avowedly humorous campaign received more than 15 votes.

In fact, Koenigs received 101 first-place votes.

“The purpose was to bring joy to Harvard children,” Taney said.

Charles T. James ‘10 and Max H. Y. Wong ‘10 said they decided not to gather last night for the election results.

“We recognize that there are really two front runners in this election,” James said. “Instead of us gathering our supporters and then giving a consolation speech, we decided to spend more time with our girlfriends.”

—Staff writer Ellen X. Yan attributed reporting to this story.

—Staff writer Eric P. Newcomer can be reached at newcomer@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Carola A. Cintron-Arroyo can be reached at ccintron@fas.harvard.edu.