The two candidates running for Student Association executive vice president in the run-off election are two of the individuals least-qualified to run the senate from the original field of five. Neither Nick D’Addario nor Brand Kroeger seems to fully understand the advocacy role of the SA, and they each espoused positions that would poorly suit them for the position of EVP.

In its general election endorsement, this page did not give consideration to D’Addario or Kroeger. The editorial board’s position remains unchanged, and The Hatchet endorses neither candidate in his run for EVP.

The EVP’s role as the manager of the Senate requires a straight talker who is concerned about results instead of politics. Neither Kroeger nor D’Addario have proven that they fulfill this requirement.

Additionally, Kroeger seems to completely miss the point on the main purpose of the SA – advocating for student needs. This candidate is a proponent of major initiatives that the SA has no power to implement and, if history is a guide, will likely go nowhere. Such agendas have been proposed by candidates in the past, but rarely ever succeeded.

Nick D’Addario presents another hackneyed platform that also misses the point on student advocacy. D’Addario is another proponent of initiatives that will likely fail, and he seems to be out of touch with the true needs and wants of the student body.

As is the case with the presidential election, these EVP candidates seemed to have piggybacked on the support of friends and the political benefits of being associated with a slate or a President-EVP ticket. These mock political parties serve only to garner electoral support, and in no way benefit student needs. Next year, the SA should seriously consider banning the slates in an effort to make the election process more equitable and more focused on actual policies as opposed to political support.

Overall, this year’s SA EVP election has been sorely disappointing, and it has culminated in a run-off between two mediocre candidates. Whoever ends up winning the post should take a hard look at the needs of GW students and the progress made this year in the SA.

The student body needs an EVP who will stand up for them, ensure that resolutions are passed with feasibility and purpose, and keep the Senate in line. Up to this point, neither D’Addario nor Kroeger have shown a basic understanding of these needs.