Soon after most students left Murray State to start their Spring Break, the University was again repopulated by western Kentucky Republicans attending the annual Calloway County GOP’s Lincoln-Reagan Dinner.

Approximately 300 people gathered in the Curris Center for the part-dinner, part-fundraiser, part-call-to-action, which featured Texas Gov. Rick Perry as the keynote speaker and was attended by a number of local and state Republican figures including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

In his speech, Perry stressed the importance of regaining control of the Kentucky House of Representatives for Republicans. Perry said that a Republican monopoly in Frankfort could lead to making Kentucky a right-to-work state, like his home-state, and lead to the elimination of Kentucky’s individual income tax.

Desiree Isaac, president of the Murray State College Republicans, was one of several students who attended the event, along with fellow club members and college Republicans from other Kentucky universities.

Isaac said she and her colleagues had a chance to meet with both Perry and McConnell, to speak with them and ask questions. She said the event made her excited for the future and wants to be even more involved.

“(The dinner) gave us a good opportunity to network and actually know the politicians on a personal level as opposed to a figure you see on advertisements and you get emails about,” Isaac said. “I’m really hoping that the dinner served to encourage students and participants to be more involved in politics.”

Story by Ben Manhanke, Assistant News Editor