Close to two weeks after announcing his candidacy for Student Government Board president, K…. Close to two weeks after announcing his candidacy for Student Government Board president, K. Chase Patterson left the presidential race this weekend to join candidate Zach Ransom’s slate.

“I had approached Chase when he announced his candidacy,” board member Ransom said. “The more we got to talking, the more we realized we had similar beliefs and interests.”

“We believe it is in the best interest of the University,” Patterson added. “We are now becoming a coalition. We thought we could be more effective if we worked together.”

Patterson, who ran a failed campaign for board member in 2003, was the fourth candidate to announce his bid for presidency.

SGB members Zach Ransom and Joe Pasquilichio announced their plans to run at the beginning of the semester. Former board member Joe Salvatore joined the race in September.

Pasqualichio expressed doubt about Patterson’s presidential bid.

“When I heard he was running, I told him that I never really thought he was going to run,” Pasquilichio said.

Salvatore said that Patterson’s decision comes as a loss to the student body.

“I was a little disheartened to find that he was not running because it brought another choice to the students,” Salvatore said.

While slate members have not been formally announced yet, Ransom said that his slate will focus on building a stronger relationship with the student body.

“Our main goal is to bring SGB back to the students by creating more events and co-sponsorships with student organizations,” Patterson said.

“Having a better relationship with the average student should be one of the main goals of SGB this year,” Patterson said. “I understand that the average student on campus doesn’t have a relationship with SGB, and SGB should be the catalyst for that relationship.”

Ransom echoed that sentiment.

“We want the students to know that they can come to us with issues,” Ransom said.

Ransom and Patterson are still “hammering out” the final details of their platform. The candidates expressed their interest in creating a president’s council, where student leaders would gather to discuss campus and student issues.

“The more we tap students, the more equipped we are to help them,” Patterson said. “We will be voting and acting on their wants and needs.”