Paul Ryan, republican vice presidential hopeful, made his way to Provo yesterday. His stop in Utah Valley lasted only eight hours, and many Utahns are calling the day a success.
Ryan was greeted by the media at Provo Airport at noon, but the media was not alone. A lucky Boy Scout troop lined the stairs from Ryan’s plane and the potential VP took time to shake each boy’s hand and learn their names.
“I was super nervous, I can’t even remember mostly what he said to me. I was so surprised and it was all a blur,” said twelve-year-old Johnny Astle from Provo.
After giving the press a wave and a smile, Ryan made his way to a high-dollar fundraising luncheon. Supporters forked over $25,000 to dine with the potential vice president. It’s not secret that Utah is a cash cow for the Romney-Ryan ticket. In the 2008 election, the nation’s highest donating zip code for the GOP was in Provo.
The majority of Ryan’s day was spent at the Utah Valley Convention Center in downtown Provo, where he hosted three fundraising events. The final event of the evening was very college-student friendly.
“I saw that it was twenty bucks for students and one thousand for someone who’s not so I figured that’s a pretty dang good deal, gotta take advantage of that, don’t wanna miss an opportunity,” said Chase Bryan, a BYU student.
That means students had a 98 percent discount at Ryan’s general reception, but those who donated the full $1,000 say it was worth it.
“I think this is the most important election in my lifetime, and I’m old, I’ve seen a lot of them,” said Brent Brown from Highland.
Even though Ryan spoke for only ten minutes, he pumped the crowd, and that’s what supporters say they came for.
“I kind of feel like a rejuvenation kind of happening and an excitement and hope,” said Adam Dietlein from Murray.
While he may not have spent the night in Utah, Ryan is still campaigning in the west today in Colorado Springs.
