Trump’s Victory: How he Secured the Presidency -Honor B
Donald Trump is undoubtedly one of the most controversial candidates in political history; he will not only be the oldest president to enter the White House but the first felon too. Before voting began, predictions varied massively, with the polls reporting that the result would be too close to call, and in many cases favouring Harris. Polling also suggested that the results in the swing states (crucial states in determining election results) would follow this trend, and as a result, the presidential race between Trump and Harris was one that was so close that the results of the US election were impossible to predict. After a harsh 2020 defeat, how did Trump secure one of the most notable comebacks the world has ever seen?
One of the key factors in securing an electoral victory, is of course, securing support that will eventually manifest into votes. Trump’ support base is far more varied than you may assume, although his support base is highly rooted in white, non-college educated people, he gained strong support from many American women, which subverted many predictions from experts across the world, and was a key contributor to his success. Trump’s support base also stemmed from rural America, which he obtained through the political ideology of populism, where he tailored many of his policies to make the non-urban population feel included. Another fact that can not be ignored is that a vast amount of Trump’s support is demonstrated by his MAGA (make America great again) base; a group of patriots who idolise Trump as the saviour of America, they have remained since the 2016 election and provides Trump with his most loyal support. Winning the popular vote, Trump’s support base, or their ability to turn out in the election, did beat that of Harris, despite polling predicting otherwise.
Trump’s campaigning was integral to his 2024 election success, his key message that he would ‘fix America’ is what enticed the majority of his voters. Despite America having the highest GDP in the world, by a large margin, an agenda was pushed by the Trump campaign that the Democrats had left the US economy in a shambles, another aspect of America that must be ‘saved’. Trumps nationalism is so extensive that I was surprised to learn that during his first presidency he did not visit the continents of either Australasia nor Africa, which is incredibly rare for a leader such as Trump. Yet it is this intense nationalism that draws in Trump voters, and seems to unite them under the common goal of “America First”.
Trump’s presence on X (formerly Twitter) has been incredibly high-profile through his presidential campaign. X has become one of Trump’s key media outlets, and a way for him to send a message to his supporters. This often creates an echo chamber of likeminded voters, and usually the most opinionated of them. Trump is known for his polarising rhetoric that aggravates his opponents yet unites his supporters, his bold statements have been emphasised by the owner of the platform, Elon Musk. Musk has become one of Trump’s most outspoken and influential supporters, and his control over the algorithm only emphasises this. Another technique used by the Trump campaign were attack advertisements, these are targeted campaigns that spread messages to specific voters based on data analysis.
When early voting began, the frantic campaigning from each candidate began, with rallies increasing in swing states, social media advertisements spreading across their platforms, and celebrity endorsements being offered for both candidates. When On Tuesday 5th November tens of millions of Americans voted for the next president of the United States, the result of the election was betted on and predicted by the rest of the world. On Wednesday 6th of November Trump claimed victory after securing the 270 electoral college votes that are needed to win the election. This number currently stands at 312 – compared to Harris’ 226 – which is a mass victory. Trump additionally secured 50.1% of the popular vote – to Harris’ 48.2% – as well as obtaining both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Trump’s 2024 campaign has successfully appealed to the American voter, to the extent he has become the first US president to lose a term in between two wins, lending him what I predict will be the most famous political salvation in history. Trump’s first steps in to the Whitehouse in January 2025 will certainly be steps to watch.
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