Sarah Burris is a long-time veteran of political campaigns, having worked as a fundraiser and media director across the United States. She transitioned into reporting while working for Rock the Vote, Future Majority and Wiretap Magazine, covering the Millennial Generation's perspective during the presidential elections. As a political writer, Burris has had bylines at CNN, Salon.com, BNR, and AlterNet and serves as a senior digital editor for RawStory.com.
The public universities of Florida were exempted from the state's sunshine laws, so no one knew that Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) was the only person among the final candidates to take over the Florida University system.
In February, the state Senate voted to exempt the university system from requirements under the Florida transparency laws that originally allowed the state's citizens to see the applicants for positions as university presidents.
Florida students made it clear on Monday afternoon that they wanted nothing to do with the Nebraska politician.
Sasse announced he was retiring from the Senate last week, only for the Florida newspapers to reveal the reason was he could pick up a new gig.
As he spoke at a Monday forum with students, but was forced to talk over the loud shouting of students protesting him outside the room. Students don't want Sasse. Chants echoed through the hallways, "hey, hey, ho, ho, Ben Sasse has got to go!"
Students held up signs and an LGBTQ pride flag. Students take issue with his homophobia and opposition to same-sex marriage. The issue has become a hot-button for Florida politics after Gov. Ron DeSantis passed the so-called "don't say gay" bill.
Sasse said that he welcomed the protesters in their constitutionally protected right to protest him.