28th Mock Convention convenes at Washington and Lee University

LEXINGTON, Va. (WDBJ) – Students at Washington and Lee University are continuing a tradition more than 100 years in the making.

Friday afternoon, they convened the 28th Mock Convention, a major political exercise that’s known for its accurate predictions.

Every four years, students at W&L predict the presidential nominee for the party out of power. They’ve been doing it since 1908 and have gotten it right about 75% of the time.

The party started Friday morning with a parade in downtown Lexington.

The two-day convention opened shortly after noon, but the work began long ago, for students like sophomore Meaghan Endres.

Endres is serving as Chair of the Wyoming Delegation.

“It’s 100% been worth it,” Endres told WDBJ7. “It’s very stressful like in the last couple of weeks. It’s all come together so beautifully, and it’s been such a blast. Everyone’s been saying once in a college experience, but it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

James Edwards is a junior studying geology. He’s a member of the California delegation.

“It gets a lot of people around campus connected and doing something together,” Edwards said Friday afternoon. “It gets people from outside of politics interested.”

Professor Brian Alexander said he hoped the convention would encourage students to vote and become involved in the political process.

“And finally some of you will hear all of this and think to yourself, I can do better than that, I should run for President,” he told the delegates. “And you should!”

The 2024 edition might not hold the suspense of some other years, but the students we met say they’ve enjoyed taking part in a treasured Washington and Lee tradition.

There are four sessions with nationally known speakers, including former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump Jr., Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

The convention with deliver its formal prediction in the final session on Saturday.

Copyright 2024 WDBJ. All rights reserved.