102920

THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 2020 VOLUME 95 ■ ISSUE 11

LA VIDA

SPORTS

Politics presents bubbles on social media.

McCullar feeling prepared for new season.

Local elections play vital role this year.

OPINIONS

ONLINE Look for our coverage of Election Day on Tuesday.

PG 3

PG 6

PG 4

ONLINE

INDEX LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU

3 5 4 3 5 2

CAMPUS

Tech professors discuss swing states

By HANNAH ISOM Staff Writer

As the nation continues to find its way to the polls, the presidential candidates continue their campaigns, focusing their energy on swing states. For voters it may be helpful to know what a swing state, or battleground state, is when heading into the final stretch of the presidential race.

Matthew Ellison, an online instructor in the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech, said there are two types of states: base states and battleground states.

If a political party has won a state for the last five political election cycles, that state is considered a base state for that political party, Ellison said. Texas is considered a base state for the Republican Party while Massachusetts is considered a base state for the Democratic Party.

If both parties have won at least one time in the last five political election cycles in a state, then that state is considered a battleground state, Ellison said.

Pennsylvania, Florida, Virginia and Ohio are states that are considered battleground states.

There are numerous factors that cause a state to swing, Ellison said.

A main factor that may cause a state to swing is changing demographics.

A significant injection of young

voters and growing populations of Hispanic and African American voters can potentially cause a state to become competitive, Ellison said.

Additionally, a state becoming competitive could reflect the candidates.

“At the end of the day, Donald Trump is very unpopular when it comes to approval ratings,” Ellison said.

Trump has been in the 40 percent range for approval ratings his entire presidency, Ellison said. If a president is under 50 percent approval going into an election, it is not good for their re-election hopes.

“Those can definitely change how elections are contested in the states,” he said regarding these factors.

Additionally, if there are issues or policies that are unpopular, Ellison said that may energize voters in a state making it more competitive.

For example, Ellison said the COVID-19 pandemic is one factor that could impact voter perceptions.

“This is probably consistently considered one of the biggest issues going into the election,” he said.

Trump’s handling of the pandemic is highly criticized, Ellison said. Voters will probably hold him accountable for his initial handling and continued response to COVID-19.

Because cases are spiking again, Ellison said the issue is

RYAN MCCULLAR/The Daily Toreador

Early voting polling station is open for the first day of voting at Market Street, 4425 19th St in Lubbock, Oct. 13, 2020. gaining even more traction as the election draws closer, which might energize voters thus making states more competitive.

Joel Sievert, assistant professor of political science, said 2016 was a great reminder of the importance of

swing states.

The national vote was very close, but the Electoral College is what decides who becomes president, Sievert said. This gives swing states their prominence. Less than 300,000 votes in three states swung

the election toward Trump in 2016.

“They become really important because 10,000 votes in one state could be what makes or breaks an election,” Sievert said.

SEE SWING STATES, PG. 2

FOOTBALL

Red Raiders set to take on No. 24 Oklahoma

By ZACH RICHARDS Sports Editor

On Saturday, the Texas Tech football team will look to notch their second conference win in a row against No. 24 Oklahoma at Jones AT&T Stadium.

The game, which will take place on Halloween night at 7 p.m., will be the first night game on Halloween the Red Raiders have played in the Big 12 era, according to Tech Athletics.

Oklahoma: The Sooners started conference play a bit shaky with a pair of losses to No. 16 Kansas State and No. 23 Iowa State. Even though both games were decided within one possession, the gravity of the losses against Oklahoma were resounding to the rest of the league.

The Sooners’ history of excellence in Big 12 play has left them regarded as the favorites almost every season. Prior to the 2020 football season, Oklahoma sat atop the Big 12 Preseason media poll with 80 first place votes. The next-highest team in the poll only received six total first place votes.

Over the last five seasons, the Sooners have won each Big 12 Championship dating back to 2015, according to Big 12 sports.

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

The Red Raiders dog pile for a touchdown during the game against Oklahoma at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2018, at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders were defeated by The Sooners, 51-46. Tech will play Oklahoma on Halloween this year.

Now, Oklahoma is regaining traction after a tough start and has won back-to-back games against Texas and TCU. The Sooners are a well-rounded team with a series of weapons.

Leading the offense under center resides the Big 12 leader in pass efficiency, freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler, according to Big 12 sports. Rattler also has the second-most yards of total offense in

the conference, trailing only Texas’ Sam Ehlinger due to rushes, but Rattler leads the league in total passing yards.

Out of the backfield, Oklahoma’s T.J. Pledger ranks fifth in

the conference in rushing, tallying 341 rushing yards and three touchdowns through his first five games, according to Big 12 sports.

From the wideout position, Rattler’s go-to receiver through the season is Marvin Mims, who has the fifth-most receiving yards per game, and also the sixth most touchdowns with six through the first five games of the season.

Offensively, Oklahoma has the second-leading scoring offense in the league to go along with the No. 1 pass offense, pass efficiency and total offense, according to Big 12 Sports. They like to get the job done through the air, as their rushing attack ranks about middle of the league.

On the defensive side, the athletic, long-armed unit up front for Sooner head coach Lincoln Riley has been unleashing on opposing run offenses all season long. They allow the fewest rushing yardage of any school in the conference, including the No. 1-ranked defense in the nation, West Virginia.

The combination of offense and defense has led the Sooners to be ranked No. 24 by the Associated Press. A ranking that, prior to this year, they had not dropped out of since 2014.

SEE FOOTBALL, PG. 5

DIVERSITY

Goin’ Band from Raiderland implements inclusivity efforts

By AMANDA HAMPTON Staff Writer

The Goin’ Band from Raiderland is focusing on improving its diversity efforts this semester with its new Anti-Discrimination Task Force.

Joel Pagán, director of The Goin’ Band, said the idea for the Anti-Discrimination Task Force stemmed back to the summer when he met with other Big XII band directors.

A band director from another school came forward with the idea for an anti-racism task force and the other directors decided to incorporate the idea into their bands.

“This was when the height of all these kinds of social injustices were occurring,” Pagán said. “So, we started talking about what we could probably do within our own groups.”

The Goin’ Band met over the summer with leadership band members, and Pagán brought forth the idea to them. After discussing the details, the task force became a student-led group within the band, he said.

“They came up with the name Anti-Discrimination Task Force, and they felt that that was more inclusive so it’s not just about a specific gender or a specific race or skin color,” Pagán said.

The goal for the Anti-Discrimination Task Force is to provide an opportunity to keep conversations about discrimination alive, Pagán said.

Oftentimes, when social injustices happen, they become trending topics for a short period of time and then they die down, Pagán said.

He did not want the band to

solely put forth a statement like other organizations were doing to address social injustices without having an action behind their words, Pagán said.

Mason Cooke, a senior music education major from Tomball, said he hopes the Anti-Discrimination Task Force will help remove the stigma around discrimination topics by opening discussion opportunities to make the conversations feel normal.

“It is a group that is dedicated to providing education and promoting dialogue about discrimination of all types in order to create a culture of inclusivity, support and universal non acceptance of discriminatory behavior,” Cooke said.

SEE INCLUSIVITY, PG. 3

RYAN MCCULLAR/The Daily Toreador

Members of the Goin’ Band from Raiderland practice at the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester. The Goin’ Band had to make multiple changes due to COVID-19.

2

NEWS

OCT. 29, 2020

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

POLITICS

Political science faculty address purple Texas likelihood

By JAVIER BACA Staff Writer

The 2020 presidential election continues to be a prominent election for most Texans. With this interest in the election, the idea of Texas becoming a purple state when it has predominantly been a red Republican state may be impactful in the coming weeks.

Kevin Banda, assistant

SWING STATES

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 There could be a candidate who wins the popular vote by 5 million to 6 million votes, but if they lose enough swing states by close margins, they lose the election, Sievert said.

Texas is showing a lean toward becoming a swing state, Sievert said.

Though it can be difficult to know if this is unique to 2020, Sievert said, in 2018, Texas saw Democrat Beto O’Rourke compete with Republican Ted Cruz for the Senate seat. This showed that Democrats could be competitive in a statewide race in Texas. “ Te x a s , l i k e a l o t of states, it’s growing,” Sievert said.

Growth in metropolitan areas, which are already disproportionately Democrat relative to the rest of the state, is a key factor

professor in the Texas Tech Department of Political Science, said the state has been becoming more of a purple state throughout each election year.

“It looks like it is competitive this time around,” he said. “Given the polling data we’ve seen that the polls have consistently favored [President Donald Trump] but not by much.”

Texas being a purple

• • •

expanding their resources here, when, in a more normal election cycle, they would be putting their money in Florida and Pennsylvania instead of here. It puts Republicans on the defense.”

If Democrats win Texas this year, Banda said he cannot see any ideal way of Trump winning the 2020 presidential election.

Joel Sievert, assistant professor of political sci-

ence at Tech, said Texas has become more competitive this year.

“We saw in 2018 that Democrats can be competitive in a statewide race,” he said. “In this election, it is in a place where it can be considered to be competitive. Now, it can be considered competitive this year because of the two candidates running.”

Texas being a purple

state depends on a different variables, Sievert said. The change to purple depends on who is running for election.

There also has been growth in metropolitan areas, Sievert said. These areas usually have Democratic in the past elections as well. People also could be dissatisfied with the current president. @JavierBacaDT

driving this change for Texas, Sievert said. Suburbs are trending towards the Democratic Party.

For example, Lubbock County itself is considered Republican, but some precincts are Democratic, Sievert said. If you look at a precinct level map of the state and zoom in at highly populated areas, it gets increasingly blue.

“Texas becoming competitive is a huge potential change at the national level,” Sievert said.

With 38 electoral college votes, Texas going from a guaranteed Republican to a toss-up changes everything, which is why Democrats are investing more money in the state, Sievert said.

Even though this change will come later down the road, Ellison said the Republican Party still will most likely win the state of Texas in the presidential election this year. @HannahIsomDT

ELECTION DAY VOTING LOCATIONS • • •

state this election year is an important thing to note, Banda said. Texas has a ton of electoral votes, and Republicans usually can rely on Texas for those votes.

Although, Banda said Republicans have to fight a little more for the state this year.

“Republicans have to contest Texas in ways they have not had to in a very long time,” he said. “They are

Election Day is on Nov. 3 Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The South Croslin room at the Texas Tech Library at 2802 18th St. The Lubbock County Elections Office at 1302 Crickets Ave. Roscoe Wilson Elementary School gym at 2807 25th St. For more voting locations, visit the Lubbock County Elections Office website

POLITICS

Texas Supreme Court set to receive new chief, associate justices

By PACEN HARTLEY Staff Writer

During this coming election, justices for the Texas Su-

preme Court will be another group of candidates people will get the chance to vote for.

Unlike the federal Supreme Court, voters choose the justices that will serve on the state Supreme Court.

This year, there are four justice seats, which consists of one chief justice and three

associate justices, up for election with 11 people running for these positions.

The four justice seats up for election and the candidates running, according to Ballotpedia, include: -Chief Justice candidates Nathan Hecht, Amy Clark Meachum and Mark Ash

-Justice Place 6 candidates Jane Bland and Kathy Cheng -Justice Place 7 candidates Jeff Boyd, Staci Williams and William Bryan Strange -Justice Place 8 candidates Brett Busby, Gisela D. Triana and Tom Oxford @PacenHartleyDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Millions of mail ballots not yet returned in key states ATLANTA (AP) — Just days before the presidential election, millions of mail ballots have yet to be returned in key battleground

states, and election officials warn that time is running out for voters who want to avoid a polling place on Election Day.

At least 35 million mail ballots had been returned or accepted as of early Wednesday, according to data collected by The Associated Press. That surpasses the 33.3 million total mail ballots returned during the 2016 election, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

Yet an estimated 1.9 million ballots were still outstanding in Florida, along with 962,000 in Nevada, 850,000 in Michigan and 1 million in Pennsylvania. In most states, the deadline for ballots to be received is Election Day. “Don’t wait until Election Day,” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf implored voters this week. “Hand-delivering your own ballot now will give you the peace of mind that your vote will be counted, and your voice will be heard in this historic election.”

Combined with early, inperson voting, at least 71.5 million votes have already been cast, more than the total number of advance votes four years ago.

Many states made it easier to request a mail ballot this year amid the coronavirus pandemic and concerns about crowded polling places on Election Day. One challenge has been ensuring that voters who are not used to voting absentee return their ballots in time to be counted. Compounding concerns are mail delivery delays that have persisted across the country.

Delivery data from the U.S. Postal Service does not offer much assurance that these ballots will reach their destinations if they have not already been mailed.

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

POLITICS

LA VIDA

Page 3 thursday, Oct. 29, 2020

Politics presents bubbles on social media

By ARIE ROSSNAGEL Staff Writer

Due to the current election, there are a variety of political beliefs being expressed via social media, which could lead to individuals consuming only what compliments their political views.

Amber McCord, assistant professor of practice in professional communication at Texas Tech, said people need to be aware of the sources that are showing up in their social media feeds and seek out information that may be opposite.

“Some are very aware of their biases and may seek out information that is contradictory to their own to help solidify their preferences on the subject matter,” McCord said.

Filter bubbles can have an impact on people’s political beliefs and decisions, McCord said.

“Unfortunately, we see people being in their own filter bubble or echo chamber where they are selecting information that aligns with their current beliefs,” she said. “There is opportunity for more diverse

opinions. However, due to our own opinions, it seems we are more exposed to our filter bubble than a variety of informational sources.”

People should not use social media as their primary method of political information, McCord said.

People should make sure to go to sources outside of social media platforms to either confirm or deny what one is receiving from social media.

“The algorithms are based off of articles that we’ve read, people that we interact with most often, things that we click on,” she said, “and so, all of that goes into the idea that if we are liking content that does align with our existing beliefs, and we are clicking on sources that also align, then that algorithm is continuing to be fed information that is consistent with our own beliefs.”

Rachel Riggs, a doctoral student in the Tech College of Media and Communication, said some researchers believe if individuals are only seeing content that aligns with their beliefs, it causes polarization.

“It is possible to break

out of social media bubbles if you know how to look,” Riggs said.

Consuming a wide variety of news is important throughout the election, Riggs said. Things will go trend social media, and then Later picked up by the news. But it would not have been newsworthy until it was picked up on social media.

Riggs said It is important to always be critical of what is being consumed during this election, Riggs said.

“Social media makes it easy for us to opt in and only see politics that align with what we already hold true,” Riggs said.

The media people consume shapes social reality, Riggs said.

“If a person wants to determine if they are in a political bubble, they might want to scroll through their feed and count how many people agree with them and how many people don’t,” Riggs said. “That might be a good way to quantify it.”

This election has been polarizing for many individuals, Riggs said. It is important to try to remember what unites people instead

RYAN MCCULLAR//The Daily Toreador

People wait to early vote outside Market Street on 19th and Quaker on Oct. 13, 2020 at 1 p.m. Social media can cause people to stay ideological bubble based on who they want to vote for. of what divides people.

Bolanle Olaniran, professor in communication studies at Tech, said people may use social media as an outlet and express their freedom of speech.

“Freedom of speech is one of the things that makes our country great,” Olaniran said. “But it doesn’t mean we all have to exercise judgment.”

Olaniran tries to avoid social media as much as possible because he said he believes in true facts.

INCLUSIVITY

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Some discussions the Goin’ Band focuses on are about past and current-day struggles of discrimination within society, Cooke said.

“We’re doing that individually by sections,” Cooke said. “We have leaders that lead discussions within each section, including instruments and the twirlers.”

The band breaks up into their sections to have their discussions to help band members feel more comfortable speaking, Claire Entrekin, a senior music education major from Austin, said.

The section leaders are given a list of some points to discuss during their breakout meetings, Entrekin said.

The band will typically take five to ten minutes to have their discussions during band rehearsals.

“We just talk about those things; we ask questions in the sections,” Entrekin said.

“We really just have it as an open time for conversation.”

The Goin’ Band hopes the new diversity efforts will result in a culture shift, Cooke said. The task force’s ultimate goal is to make topics of race and

RYAN MCCULLAR/The Daily Toreador

The Goin’ Band from Raiderland rehearses on the band lot. Each section took time to discuss new diversity efforts. discrimination more comfortable for band members to discuss and make it a part of the band’s culture.

“These are real issues, there are real people that are being treated purely based off of their race, how they choose to identify themselves, who they’re attracted to,” Cooke said. “All these things shouldn’t affect how people are treated or how people are viewed.”

The task force was met with some hesitation at first since it was a new program, but over the semester people have become more open to the

discussions and more engaged in conversation, Cooke said.

“I think it is important just to have people better understand each other and grow to

appreciate each other’s differences, and that we can work together, rather than tearing each other down,” Cooke said. @AmandahamptonDT

Ivan Castro, a freshman finance major, said, as an active social media user, he is aware individuals are divided due to social media, but social media also allows individuals to express and spread information regard-

ing personal beliefs.

“I try to consume a variety of information on social media so that I am not restricting other viewpoints that could challenge my beliefs,” Castro said. @DailyToreador

OPINIONS

Page 4 Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

Race to 270

COLUMN

Local elections play vital role this year I

n the midst of so many elections, many will forget that there are local elections going on right now that impact citizen’s lives on a daily basis.

The main ones that need to be watched closely are the mayoral, city council and county commissioner elections. Voters should also watch the Lubbock ISD Board of Trustee’s election as well.

It is worth noting that not every position listed above is going to be on everyone’s ballot because some positions are only available to be voted on depending on where you live in the city, such as the city council.

I am just making you aware that representatives in these positions are up for election, and voters should watch these elections as they impact the city and its

Mateo Rosiles is a junior journalism major from Lubbock.

citizens as a whole.

The Board of Trustee’s election is the only election that is not directly tied to the city government. The board is tasked with creating goals for the school district to achieve, create the budget for the district, allocate resources to schools and set tax rates, according to the LISD Board Policy Manual.

For students looking to work for LISD in the near future, pay close attention to who is running for the two seats and what policies they bring to the table. It is a well-known fact that our public school systems are underfunded, and the money the school district is

allocated is in the hands of the seven board members.

The County Commissioner is a member of the Commissioner’s Court which is the governing body for a county, in this case, Lubbock County. They are tasked with maintaining the roads, setting salaries and filling vacancies of elected positions, set tax rates and holding special elections if the need arises, according to the Lubbock County website.

This election is important because they control the maintenance of the county roads and tax rates for the county. Students who drive to campus from around the state can attest to the decaying infrastructure around the county.

Students who live offcampus are affected by the tax rates the courts decide on for that year.

The second most important election voters must

watch is the City Council elections as district seats 2, 4 and 6 are up for election. The council is the legislative body of the city and has the power to create ordinances, regulations and appoint the city secretary, treasurer and attorney, according to the City of Lubbock Charter.

This election will determine the future of Lubbock and what future generations will have to deal with.

For those who are not familiar with Lubbock politics or are like me, forget what’s going on at a local level, there are several issues and propositions beginning to be put forward to the council.

Over the summer, a

group known as Lubbock Compact, and one of their founders published a document known as the Lubbock Disparity Report, and recently an updated document, Lubbock Disparity Report 2, was released.

This report highlighted the ever-growing economic and social gap between “Old Lubbock” and the way the city is growing, South Lubbock. More recently, the council is set to vote on the Sanctuary City for the Unborn petition after the upcoming election.

This election will determine the future of Lubbock and what future generations will have to deal with.

Before talking about the most important election in Lubbock, I want to remind voters that there are many more local elections going on such as County Constable and Director-At-Large and Director for Precinct

3 of Buffalo Springs Lake Lubbock County Water Control and Improvement District 1.

The mayoral election is arguably the most important election because the mayor is the leader of the city council and is the head of the city according to the City of Lubbock Charter.

Again, I must encourage voters to look at the candidate’s platforms.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still a prevalent issue at this time and will be an issue for the foreseeable future and social issues around the nation are taking center stage. I encourage voters to keep these issues in mind and those who will be elected on Nov. 3 will shape Lubbock for future generations to come.

Go out and vote. Texas early voting ends Oct. 30, and Election Day is Nov. 3. @MateoRosilesDT

COLUMN

Looking past political divide, need for compromise Given today’s political climate and how Texas almost became a toss-up state in the 2018 Senate elections, the idea of becoming a “purple state” almost became a reality. I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t favor the two-party system we currently have in our government. I have also argued that most people fall

CONTACT US Newsroom: 806-742-3393 Advertising: 806-742-3384 Business: 806-742-3388 Circulation: 806-742-3388 Fax: 806-742-2434 Email: dailytoreador@ttu.edu

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Chase Seabolt (806) 742-3395 editor@dailytoreador.com Managing Editor Mallory Rosetta managing@dailytoreador.com News Editor Adán Rubio news@dailytoreador.com La Vida Editor Natalie Cervantes features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor Zach Richards sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Mateo Rosiles opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Autumn Bippert photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Madeline Diffee online@dailytoreador.com Copy Editor Emma Sipple online@dailytoreador.com

BREAKING NEWS Email dailytoreador@ttu.edu, call (806) 742-3393 or tweet information to @DailyToreador.

CORRECTIONS The DailyToreador strives for accuracy and fairness in the reporting of news.

If a report is wrong or misleading, a request for a correction or clarification may be made by calling (806) 742-3393 or emailing dailytoreador@ttu.edu.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION © Copyright 2020TexasTech University Student Media/The Daily Toreador. All DT articles, photographs and artwork are the property of The DT and Student Media and may not be reproduced or published without permission. The DailyToreador is a designated public forum. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

Nalani Nuylan is a junior journalism major from Leander.

in the middle between red and blue.

With projects like Jubliee Media’s Middle Ground, a show dedicated to bringing people with opposing viewpoints together in civil discourse, the motivation to push for compromise and meeting in the middle with hot topics and politics seems more achievable.

With the help of the internet and wide exposer to different cultures and ideologies, the possibilities of social compromise for a better future are reachable.

As our generation starts to replace the seats in the House and Senate, our mindset of inclusivity, diversity, and overall concern for the human good and a better future will, I think, allow us to have better

conversations to provide better solutions.

According to a study done by the Pew Research Center in 2015, 6.9 percent of adults in the United States are multiracial. Now that some five years have passed, that percentage will only increase within the United States’ population.

In his TedTalk about cultural diversity, motivational speaker Julien S. Bourrelle quotes the statistic, “boards composed of both genders will perform 15 percent better than those composed of mainly one gender.” Additionally, “boards that are composed of different cultures will perform 35 percent better than boards composed of only one culture.” Ultimately proving that diversity improves creative thinking and problemsolving abilities.

Think of the different experiences and creative solutions everyone can provide when our House, Senate and presidency become the

ultimate expression of “the melting pot” we all grew up believing in when we bring those to the table, including the political parties we identify as. The ability to reach a common ground to satisfy the needs of the majority of people, in regards to our government, could be the driving force that can place the U.S. at the top for the better.

However, because there are no 20-year-olds in high-ranking positions in government at the moment, the idea of achieving “purple” in a manner where legislative action is beneficial for our country is still out of reach.

The last time our country was in a state of theoretical purple was during Barack Obama’s administration. Given that he was a Democrat and the legislative branch mostly consisted of Republicans, in the first 100 days of his presidency Obama pasted 14 laws and signed 19 Executive Orders according to

Business Insider.

Ultimately proving that diversity improves creative thinking and problem-solving abilities.

When we compare the same time frame with Republican Donald Trump and the mostly Republican legislature in the 2016 elections, Trump passed 29 laws and signed 32 Executive Orders in his first 100 days.

These statistics prove to show the potential gridlock that can happen when there is a vast polarity in our political status as a country and our country’s political status becomes purple. If we want to achieve purple, knowing of the benefits to the diversity of opinions and thinking, how can we do it?

Well, I’m no expert, but I

think a good place to start is being open-minded. We as a society (the 20-year-olds who are causing change) have already started this with Black Lives Matter, being aware of cultural appropriation and the notion of accepting and appreciating other cultures.

However, we also need to be accepting of political views as well.

I may not agree with what some topics like abortion or defunding the police are about, but I can at least acknowledge that change needs to happen regarding women’s health policies and a restructuring of the functions of the police system on a national level.

This is what I mean by “achieving purple.” Having your opinions but using your framework for the collective good, and not hating on a particular party, to better our future. This is doable, granted it might take a long time with baby steps, we just need to start. @DtNalani

COLUMN

Winner of presidential election remain uncertain Evan Ray is a junior DMPC major from Sugar Land.

If you had asked me about a year and a half ago the question; who was going to win the following presidential election, I would have told you Trump would no questions asked. However, events that occurred in the last year have caused many people like myself, to retract their statement about a landslide election.

My previous prediction about Trump winning has absolutely nothing to do with my personal political thoughts or opinion. It had more to do with how presidential reelections have gone historically.

From strictly an observational standpoint, current

SPOTIFY

presidents tended to get reelected for their second term, given that there was no scandal, fiasco or other obvious crisis linked directly to their administration.

Generally, Americans tend to reelect presidents for a second term because they were comfortable.

They would rather reelect the person that they already knew could at least handle to position and have at least kept their way of life preserved in a majority capacity.

Interestingly, presidents historically also have a trend of losing great popularity after the “honeymoon” phase of their term and slowly declining over their term.

Approve or disapprove over Trump, you must see the facts here; he has shaken everything up in our typical political system. He seems to be an anomaly of sorts. Not just speaking on his personality, his past

and his voice amongst other government officials, he has shaken up how the system usually goes.

His approval rating in the polls speaks for itself, and while it has slightly dipped and gone up in the past, and has mostly stagnated around the 55 percent area (at the time of this article it is hovering at 53.7 percent).

His following has stayed strong through the test of time and even with controversy surrounding his response to the Black Lives Matter protests earlier this year, his questionable COVID-19 response and his administration’s current international relationships; his approval rating has never tanked like most presidents before him.

With that said, I truly cannot say the victor of this election is clear any longer. It is likely because of previously mentioned

Halloween Playlist

Fall Playlist

controversy’s and other major disapprovals, that we are seeing a mass voter turnout this year.

Approve or disapprove over Trump, you must see the facts here; he has shaken everything up in our typical political system.

While it is important to note that typically there is a larger voter turnout for the opposing party of the current administration when it comes time for reelection, this is making history for the amount of voting is happening in Texas alone.

Of course, not all these votes are blue, Trump’s avid supporters who have kept him up all these years were all very likely to vote

Walking to Class Playlist

or register to vote for him.

However, more votes in, general, leave more up to chance and more up to a much more accurate representation of the United States population.

When Biden won the Democratic nominee, many left voters scoffed and thought to themselves, well, looks like Trump is going to win again, assuming he would be washed out easily. Nowadays, you don’t hear that kind of talk.

People’s mindset seems to have shifted ever so slightly in the past months, ironically, having very little to do with Biden himself.

This election cycle will be one for the history books with all the records and pretenses it has shattered wide open. In my opinion there is no telling what will happen next week, and it will be too close to call. @EvanRayDT

Driving to Campus Playlist

Scan the codes to listen to one of our playlists on Spotify.

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

GUEST COLUMNS The Daily Toreador accepts submissions of unsolicited guest columns. While we cannot acknowledge receipt of all columns, the authors of those selected for publication will be notified. Guest columns should be no longer than 650 words in length and on a topic of relevance to the university community. Guest columns are also edited and follow the same guidelines for letters as far as identification and submittal.

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

SPORTS

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

FOOTBALL

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Texas Tech: The Red Raiders found a surge of energy against West Virginia with newfound starting quarterback, junior, Henry Colombi.

Colombi compiled an efficient, 169-yard passing game (22-28), while being the Red Raiders’ third-leading rusher with 11 carries for 40 yards, according to ESPN. Behind Colombi, Tech’s offense put up 34 points against the top-ranked defense in the nation.

During the game, sophomore running back SaRodorick Thompson had eight carries for 68 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown carry. The bulk of the carries, however, went to freshman Tahj Brooks, who became the Red Raiders’ workhorse after Thompson and sophomore Xavier White were injured during the game.

In a news conference earlier in the week, Tech head football coach Matt Wells said

both running backs who went down were more hurt than injured, and that they could both potentially be active for the game against Oklahoma.

Injuries and inactive players have riddled the Red Raiders early on. Senior receiver T.J. Vasher sat out against West Virginia (listed as inactive, not injured), senior Seth Collins is out for the year with a fractured shoulder, junior KeSean Carter has not played the last two games for Tech due to injury. Junior receiver Dalton Rigdon and senior McLane Mannix have also been sidelined of late.

Without three of its top four receivers, Tech still found a way to power past West Virginia.

Against the Mountaineers, Tech had a balanced run and pass game while also making the most of third down and even fourth down opportunities. Through 29 minutes of possession, Tech completed 50 percent of its third down conversions (8/16), according to ESPN, and 66 percent of its fourth

down chances (2/3).

The offense simply was more fluid, and another dimension was added with Colombi’s running ability.

“Henry [Colombi] gave us an added dimension …

He made some positive plays running the football,” Wells said.

Inside the Texas Tech, Oklahoma Series: Looking to break an eightgame losing skid against the Sooners, Tech will line up against their neighboring state rivals in Oklahoma for the 28th time on Saturday, according to Tech Athletics.

The all-time record between the two is in favor of the Sooners, as they have won 21 matches to Tech’s six.

The last time Tech defeated Oklahoma at home was over one decade ago in 2009. At the time, Tech quarterback Taylor Potts threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns, according to Tech Athletics. The Red Raiders defeated Oklahoma 41-13 in the game.

Last season, Oklahoma defeated Tech 55-16 at OU

OCT. 29, 2020

Memorial Stadium behind 644 total yards of offense to Tech’s 314, according to Tech Athletics. At the time, the Red Raiders were led by quarterback Jett Duffey, who threw for 120 yards (11/20), and Thompson, who rushed 13 times for 96 yards.

However, the matchup goes further than just onthe-field battles. Oklahoma’s inside receivers and tight ends coach goes by the name of Luke Wells, brother of Tech head coach Matt Wells. The two will face off on Saturday.

Also, Oklahoma’s current head coach, Riley, graduated from Tech in 2006, according to Tech Athletics, and was even a member of Tech’s coaching staff after he graduated.

Game Day Notes: The matchup between the Red Raiders and Oklahoma will be nationally televised on Fox. The game can also be streamed on mobile devices using the Fox Sports app.

Lubbock’s sports station, Double T 97.3, will also be on the call. @ZachRichardsDT

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Junior wide receiver Antoine Wesley argues with an opposing player during the game against Oklahoma at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, at Jones AT&T Stadium.

VOLLEYBALL

Follow The DT on Twitter

Kirby finds home in Lubbock

By ANA ARTHUR Staff Writer

Junior setter Alex Kirby had a unique path in joining the Red Raider volleyball team. In fact, her athletic career began with her sights set on the same hardwood, but a different sport.

The junior human-sciences major from Knoxville, grew up mostly playing basketball, following in the step of her older siblings, she said.

“I wasn’t a kid who played like five sports when I was younger,” Kirby said “I played pretty much just basketball.”

Her volleyball journey began unplanned, she said. It was not until a family friend was in need of a player when they reached out to Kirby asking if she could fill in for one game. From there, volleyball started to spark Kirby’s interest. Kirby made the transition from basketball to volleyball during her seventhgrade year.

“I could see myself with a future there,” Kirby said.

While attending Hardin Valley Academy in high school, Kirby lettered all four years. She received 2015 4A Co-Setter of the Year and 2017 3A Co-Setter of the Year. At Kirby’s junior year at the Academy, she led her team

to third place finishing in the 4A State Tournament and was named All-State in 2016 by the Tennessee Sports Writers of America.

Kirby always had her eyes on Texas, and her past, and current assistant coaches made her dream become a reality.

“I always knew I wanted to go far away from home, and I liked the idea of moving to Texas. My assistant coach for club at the time knew the assistant coach here at Tech.” Kirby said, “I then came on a visit to Tech and loved it.”

During her freshman year, Kirby started as the primary reserve setter and appeared in 20 matches while making one start .

Next season, Kirby started in 20 matches, however, she had to take some time off after having a foot injury. Once healed, she managed to lead the Red Raiders with 685 assists. She ranked fourth in the Big 12 Conference with 10.29 assists per set, according to Tech Athletics.

“I was nervous about it, but when I made it through twoa-days and my foot was OK, then I was like I think it’s fine,” Kirby said. “I’ve also been taking calcium pills to try and keep my bones strong”.

The coronavirus pandemic has rattled all college sports

15 words or less $5.00 per day

Bold Headline 50¢ extra (max. one line)

APPLY AT Mattress Sale, 5127 34th St. Hiring all positions. Must apply in person. No calls.

FLOOR WORKER‑MLK BINGO

Classifications

Help Wanted Furnished Rentals Unfurnished Rentals Tickets for Sale Miscellaneous Lost & Found Clothing/Jewelry

Part time‑ $10 per hour Will work with class schedule.

Must pass background check, be 18 years of age, have transportation, good people skills.

Evenings and weekends. Apply in person ONLY after 6pm 1701 Parkway Dr. at MLK 2

Typing Tutors For Sale Services Roommates Travel Legal Notice

DAILYTOREADOR

For all your Tech news and sports

across the nation, Kirby said.

“We are just happy to be able to have practice together.

Our mindset now, is like we get to have a season, which a lot of teams wish they could have a season, so I think that’s been able to pull us together. Because like not everyone is in this situation like we are”. said Kirby.

Being a starting setter in the Big 12 can be nerveracking, Kirby said.

“Success doesn’t come from only just what you accomplish” Kirby said, “If I have a bad game, that doesn’t define me as an athlete or a person ... In the grand scheme of things, it’s not that big of a deal. I can come back and do it again because that one mess up doesn’t make me a failure. I can come and say I get to restart today and make this day new.”

Now, Kirby ranks sixth in the Big 12 averaging 9.62 assists per set. Kirby has recorded a trio of double-doubles, including 52 assists and a career high of 19 digs.

Kirby’s last double-double was against TCU where she made 51 assists and a 12 dig-performance.

Kirby and the rest of her teammates will take on Kansas State Nov. 6 and 7 in Lubbock at the United Supermarket Arena. @AnaArthurDT

CLASSIFIEDS Line Ad Rates

Terms & Conditions

Placing Your Ad

www.dailytoreador.com

There is a 15-word minimum on all classified ads. The first 2 words (max. one line) are bold and capitalized.

All ads will appear on dailytoreador.com at no additional charge. Please check your ad carefully on the first day of publication and notify The Daily Toreador of any errors.

We are only responsible for the first day’s incorrect insertion.

Deadlines

Classified Line Ads: Placed and paid for by 11 a.m. one business day in advance.

Classified Display Ads: 4 p.m. three business days in advance. Please call for rates for display advertising.

UNFURNISHED

UNFURNISHED

SERVICES

2 BLOCKS FROM TECH

ALLEY ENTRANCE. 1 bedroom efficiency house with large bathroom. $400/month. Tem‑ porary lease only. Absolutely no pets allowed.

Must have good credit, references and ability to pay rent, deposit and utilities. Close to campus.

For appointment to view, see Ann or B.J. at 4211 34th St., Suite B.

EZ DEFENSIVE Driving New Location RIVER SMITHS Free Food Included :) Cell 781‑2931. More Informa­tion www.LubbockClass.com

2313 Broadway. Garage efficiency apart­ment.

One bedroom. Hardwood floors. $500 plus electric. $300 efficiency also available (plus electric). 806‑747‑2856.

4/2/1 LARGE lot with fenced backyard. ADT security system. 1109 Genoa. $1350/mo. Text 806‑470‑1200.

5

MATTRESS SALE

Mattress, Furniture. Student discounts. 5127 34th Street (34th & Slide). 785‑7253.

Payments All classifieds ads must be prepaid prior to publication by credit card, cash or personal check.

Checks should be made payable to The Daily Toreador.

For the fastest and easiest service, place and pay for your ad online!

Click on the “Classifieds” link on our website to get started!

Have a question? Email:

andrea.watson@ttu.edu Phone: 806.742.3384

You can also view the Classifieds online at www.dailytoreador.com/classifieds _ new/ Don’t forget to check out the website for the latest news, features, opinions and sports content.

6

SPORTS

OCT. 29, 2020

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

MEN’S BASKETBALL

McCullar feeling prepared for new season

By RYAN MAINVILLE Staff Writer

For the first time since the conclusion of his high school sophomore season, redshirt sophomore guard Kevin McCullar finally got the chance to have a true offseason this year.

During his high school junior season, McCullar suffered a fractured tibia in the second round of the playoffs.

He then sat out his senior season, graduated a semester early and redshirted his freshman year at Tech.

The fractured tibia injury kept him off the basketball court for 620 days, until he made his Tech debut on November 5, 2019. For the first time in years, he had the chance to focus on his frame instead of rehabbing an injury. “[I am] feeling the healthiest I’ve ever felt in my life,” McCullar said in a preseason media availability.

McCullar is coming off

a redshirt freshman season where he averaged 6.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, according to ESPN. Despite only playing the seventh-most total minutes on the team, he finished the season third in total steals and fifth in total blocks, according to ESPN. McCullar had his biggest impact on the defensive end.

When he was on the floor, opponents averaged only 89.7 points per 100 possessions, according to Sports Reference. That was the best average among all Red Raiders last season. “[It is] kind of amazing the level he was playing in the Big 12 conference, major college basketball, without having an offseason,” head coach Chris Beard said on McCullar’s performance in a preseason media availability.

McCullar was able to gain 10 pounds this offseason, according to Tech Athletics.

He says the added weight

MANDI MCDONALD/The Daily Toreador

Redshirt sophomore guard Kevin McCullar dribbles the ball around the defense during the Texas Tech vs. Kansas men’s Basketball game on Mar. 7, 2020, in the United Supermarkets Arena. McCullar is prepared to get back on the court as he looks forward to the new season. will open new dimensions of his game.

“Being able to bang it around, being able to guard multiple positions on the defensive end,” McCullar said on what he expects to be different in his game thanks

to the added weight. He also mentioned an added strength while handling the ball on the offensive end.

He ended the season with a six-game stretch of appearing in the starting lineup, his only starts of

the season. When the time came for him to be in the starting lineup, McCullar said he was prepared.

“I was just ready to help the team win,” he said. “Whatever Coach Beard needed me to do …

I was ready.”

During that six-game span, he averaged 10.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, according to ESPN. His performance over that time has led Coach Beard to commend him as one of the team’s best players during the end of last season.

Beard also has said he thinks McCullar would have been a surefire Big 12 All-Freshman team selection had he been healthy the entire season.

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, McCullar said he sees plenty of potential in his team.

“I feel like this year ’s team, we have the ability to be really special,” he said.

After redshirting the spring semester of his freshman season, McCullar offers valuable experience to the seven newcomers on the Tech roster.

His redshirt year was spent at a valuable time, as he got to be around a 2018-19 Tech team that made a National Championship game appearance.

Coach Beard said that experience has turned into valuable leadership in the locker room.

“It starts with him having the experience of playing in this program before,” Beard said. “Kev has that personality … because of his personality he definitely could be one of those guys as a vocal leader.

“More importantly, it’s just the way he approaches every day. It’s the way he plays the game, it’s the way he lives his life, it’s the way he works that’s the inspiration to those who want to be led.” @RyanMainvilleDT

SOCCER

Tech soccer set to play No. 12 Oklahoma State

By ARIANNA FLORES Staff Writer

The Texas Tech women’s soccer team will travel to Stillwater to face No. 12 Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. on Friday. This is the Red Raiders’ fourth match against a ranked opponent, according to Tech Athletics.

In the past three matches against a ranked opponent, Tech holds a 0-3 record, only scoring one goal in those three games, according to Tech Athletics. These losses came at the hands of No. 6 TCU, No. 9 Kansas and, at the time, No. 10 West Virginia.

The Cowgirls will take the field with a 4-2-1 record in both conference play and overall.

Their losses came at the hands of TCU and Kansas, while

their tie came from a doubleovertime finish at Baylor.

Oklahoma State has a winning 3-1-0 record while at home, according to OSU Sports.

In the past OSU has defeated Tech on 15 different occasions and has lost eight times, according to OSU Sports. Since 2016, the pair of teams have both won twice with a margin of one goal.

The last time Tech defeated OSU while in Stillwater was in 2018 with a 1-0 victory.

The pair of teams will face one another after winning their last match against a different conference opponent.

While at home, the Cowgirls had a 2-0 victory against Texas, according to OSU Sports.

The Red Raiders recorded their first victory this season after

a 1-0 win over Iowa State, according to Tech Athletics.

OSU has a trio of aggressive scorers in senior striker Gabriella Coleman, sophomore midfielder Olyvia Dowell and junior striker Grace Yochum.

Coleman, in her first year at Oklahoma State in 2019, set a record for fastest goal in program history by scoring just 18 seconds into the game, according to OSU Athletics. She is the fifth-ranked player in shots attempted in the league.

Her scoring counterpart, Dowell, is currently ranked second in the Big 12 for the most shots this season, just one shot shy of first place, according to Big 12 Sports.

The three rank back-toback-to-back on the Big 12 goal-scoring leaderboard with three goals apiece on the year

to rank fifth, sixth and seventh in the conference, respectively.

Te c h ’s s e n i o r f o r w a r d Kirsten Davis is in third place under Dowell with 20 shots this season.

On the year, OSU has scored 10 goals and has allowed four while Tech has scored four and allowed seven, according to Big 12 Sports.

The Red Raiders will look to build momentum after their first win of the season over Iowa State. On a larger spectrum, a win over the Cowgirls would be just the second time dating back to the late 90s Tech has won against Oklahoma State three games in a row, according to Tech Athletics.

The match will be available to watch for ESPN+ subscribers. @AriannaFloresDT

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Senior forward Kirsten Davis runs towards the ball during the Texas Tech soccer game against OSU on Sept. 26, 2019, at the John Walker Soccer Complex. The Red Raiders will take on the Cowgirls on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.