Reaction to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Carol Moseley Braun’s Thursday speech was generally positive.

Braun gave her speech in the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium to an overflow crowd of well over the room’s capacity of 996.

A large portion of the crowd was made up of NIU students. In general, they said were pleased to see Braun at NIU, satisfied with what she said, and happy with the large turnout.

“I was really happy to see all the student support we had,” said Student Association President Paul Middleton. “The students were all excited, and Carol was in good form.”

“I thought this was a fantastic event,” said Young Democrats President Brad Strauss, a key player in the effort to get Braun here.

“It’s incredible that she came,” said Tony Jacob, secretary of NIU’s Young Democrats. “She told the people that education was the main thing and the people understood. She’s going to work for the students.”

John Nelson, Democratic candidate for the 35th District Illinois Senate seat and one of the day’s speakers, agreed with the students’ sentiments.

“I was ecstatic that she came,” Nelson said. “Obviously, the support that she has on campus is very strong.”

Two NIU students had personal concerns which they were able to speak with Braun about for a few moments.

Law student Randolph Anderson spoke with Braun about his concern with the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s staff recommended cut of the NIU College of Law.

“Carol Braun said that she supports the College of Law and she hopes the money will be found so that they won’t close our law school,” Anderson said.

“I have particular concerns why students are paying 10 percent interest rates on their loans when the federal interest rates are so low,” said Dawn Mueller, a senior physics major, who had also spoken with Braun for a short time.

When asked about her feelings in response to what Braun told her, she said, “I’m never really sure about politicians until they actually do something.”

Due to the large turnout and to the dismay of several hundred students, the auditorium doors were closed to would-be audience members before the event’s speeches even began.

“This is ridiculous,” said Angella Lockett, a junior who had been trapped on the wrong side of the door. “This should have been in the field house. It’s a shame that all these people out here are deprived and can’t see her today.”

Braun said she was pleased with the turnout. “It was a great outpouring and I was delighted to be here,” she said. “I think that the students recognized the sense of my message and they responded very warmly to it.”