Fierce competition, deep research, feisty campaign ads. Three Western students are campaigning for the Republican Party, but each represents a different candidate. They each want their senator to win the 32nd district, which includes the Bowling Green area.

Union senior Shane Noem said he and Louisville seniors Timothy Gilliam and Julia Bright started working together for the Warren County Victory Office and have stayed in touch since.

“All three of us have been very active in the county’s Republican?politics,” Noem said.

The three friends are part of the College Republicans group on campus, which is how they kept their friendship alive. Both Noem and Gilliam hold offices in the group.

Each said they believe the work they have done throughout the past year is paying off.

“We have put in countless hours of volunteer work over the past couple of years, and now we’re beginning to see the fruits of our labor,” Gilliam said. “Between Shane and Julia, I can’t think of two better people I’d want to share this experience with.”

The feeling of having to compete against friends isn’t as gut-wrenching as it seems, Bright said.

“Having two of my friends running the competitors’ campaigns is kind of nice,” Bright said. “It’s comforting to know we are all in the same boat trying to balance school, running a campaign and our other various commitments.”

Noem’s candidate is Mike Wilson, Gilliam’s is Ed Mills and Bright’s is Regina Webb. Each said they chose to back their candidate for specific reasons.

“Regina has been a leader in the 32nd district for years as a small?business owner, a tireless philanthropist, and through her involvement and support of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce, Regina has seen firsthand the wasteful spending that goes on in Frankfort,” Bright said. “She hopes to bring back the idea of acting as a public servant, rather than a politician to Frankfort.”

Noem said having so many similarities to Wilson attracted him. They’re both conservative and Christian. Wilson is the general manager of Christian Family Radio.

“I would like to do my part, and I feel that getting Mike elected will make Warren and Butler counties a better place,” Noem said.

Gilliam said he supports Mills because of his wealth of knowledge and experience.

Mills asked Noem, the president of the College Republicans, if he knew anyone qualified to run his campaign, and Noem suggested Gilliam. Mills was the business manager for General Motors for several years. Since his departure, he started Hitcents, a company that specializes in computer software.

“Aside from that, he is the only candidate that can unite Republicans and defeat Democrat Mike Reynolds in November,” Gilliam said.

As the race continues and these seniors get ready to graduate, they said they will always remember the lessons they’ve learned from this experience.

“No matter which one of our candidates wins the Republican primary, after May 18, we will all be back on the same team supporting the Republican candidate and hoping for victory in November,” Bright said.