On November 5, 2024 the American people voted for the Trump administration to return to the White House, ushering in a new age in American politics amidst the greatest political comeback in American history.
Presidential Election
Much controversy has surrounded this year’s Presidential elections.
Republican candidate and former president Donald Trump went up against Democratic candidate and current vice-president Kamala Harris.
This election was unique and unprecedented.
From Donald Trump’s felony conviction, to President Biden bowing out of the race in July.
From Trump’s first assassination attempt, to Kamala Harris becoming the first women of color to run for office, this election was unlike anything Americans have ever seen before.
Public Policy
For most Americans this year’s election provided them with the chance to vote on key issues facing the country.
Some of the most important issues of this year’s election included the economy and inflation rate, immigration, abortion rights, and foreign policy.
Former president Donald Trump ran on his slogan “Make America Great Again” seeking to usher America and its voters into a new age of prosperity.
His policies regarding immigration, the economy, and foreign affairs made it possible for the former president to prove victorious making what most consider to be the greatest political comeback in American history.
A New Era
On January 20th, Donald Trump will take the oath of office for a second time.
For many Americans, the Trump administration represents hope that positive reform can be enacted.
For example, Loretto Academy student Sarah Quintero said, ”I’m cautiously optimistic about the incoming administration while I don’t agree with all of his policies, I do agree with some.”
While many Americans are pleased with the results from this year’s elections this is not the case for anyone.
Student Rebeca Perez-Gonzales said, “I personally do not agree with his viewpoints, specifically on issues such as immigration and abortion.”
Now more than ever, it’s important for Americans to unite and set political differences aside and act in the best interest for the country.
How Did It Happen?
According to AP news, this year’s election had a record number of voter turnout.
The American people took a unique interest in this year’s election and headed to the polls in order to make their voices heard.
Electoral College
The electoral college is one of the unique components of the American political system.
Understanding the Electoral College is key to understanding the 2024 election as a whole.
When a vote is cast in a state that vote goes toward the electoral college.
Each state is allocated a certain number of electoral votes.
In total, there are 538 electors who will cast a vote in favor of a particular presidential candidate.
In order to win the presidential election, candidates must receive a minimum of 270 electoral votes.
President-elect Donald Trump received a total of 312 electoral votes and vice-president Harris received a total of 226 electoral votes.
Swing States
As in every election, swing states are key to determining the results of the presidential race.
A swing state is a state where two major political parties have similar levels of support among voters.
Swing states often have a high level of electoral votes and therefore, are key to predicting the outcome of an election.
This year’s key swing states included Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin.
Community Input
While the national polls show that a majority of American voters believe that president-elect Donald Trump is the best way forward, this was not the case for the El Paso or Loretto community.
In order to understand how the Loretto Academy community saw the 2024 election, a survey was conducted.
According to the results, 77.7% of students ranging from freshman to seniors voted in favor of Kamala Harris.
19.2% of students voted in favor of Donald Trump and 3.1% of students voted for Other.
67.2% of students would describe the social climate surrounding this year’s election as divided and 22.9% would describe the environment as negative.
6.9% would describe the climate as unified and 3.1% would describe it as positive.
These results show us how the girls of Loretto Academy feel in regard to America’s political scene and show the disparity between American citizens on a local and national level.
As for El Paso county, 56.80% of the population voted in favor of Kamala Harris while only 41.73% of voters voted in favor of Donald Trump.
