Central Coast college students on final presidential debate

In clinching his victory over Mitt Romney in 2012, President Obama won 60 percent of voters age 30 and under. Election observers say undecided, so-called “millennial” voters could once again decide the outcome of the 2016 race for the White House.

Students at Cuesta College near San Luis Obispo were treated to a free taco dinner at a non-partisan, presidential debate watch party Wednesday night on campus.

The back and forth between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on the issues ranging from Supreme Court nominees, abortion, taxes, jobs and the economy kept the student’s attention.

But the personal attacks between the candidates that have become a hallmark of the three presidential debates were, for many students, a turnoff.

“Definitely a little bit, its very untraditional I feel like”, said Cuesta student Macy Biggs, “its kind of like watching a reality show I think rather than a political debate.”

Earlier in the day political science students at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria shared their opinions and concerns about the presidential election and what they hoped to hear in the final debate before they cast their votes.

“America is always putting their hands in other people’s business, its kind of like do we need to fix America first before we fix other countries?” said Hancock student Joey Tamayo.

“They’re not really talking about the issues that are occurring and that’s what’s more important”, added Hancock student Elia Gonzalez, “not about their past or their own history.”

“I have a feeling its going to go the same direction as the last two debates which was about each others personal lives than about real policy”, said Hancock student Larry Blanchard.

History in the making young voters will remember for a long time.

“I didn’t think that it was going to turn out to be these two and I probably would have picked a different one”, said Hancock student Hannah Jackson, “but we have what we have and we have to make a choice from there.”