Donald Trump won the Presidential Election. And this was despite the media implying for months that he would lose. How did Trump win? Donald Trump won because of his appeal of being a non-politician, voter enthusiasm, a good platform, a solid V.P. pick, and his popularity among voters in the upper Mid-West.
Donald Trump has enjoyed a tremendous appeal of being known as a non-politician. Many Americans are tired of politicians in both parties. The economy seems to have stagnated for a while and so Americans wanted something different. They were ready to embrace a wild card. One of Trump’s best arguments in the debates was that Hillary had been in politics for thirty years and gotten nothing good done. Trump on the other hand, while his resume lacked experience in elected office, had visible proof of success, from Trump Tower to nice golf courses and hotels. Americans respect Trump’s career as a businessman.
Voter enthusiasm was a huge factor in this presidential race. Trump drew large crowds to his rallies. People know he is different from regular politicians and his policies are quite popular. Also, “Make America Great Again” was a great campaign slogan. Trump gave Americans something to believe in, and his slogan symbolized that. In contrast to Trump, Hillary didn’t generate near the enthusiasm that Trump did. She had poor attendance at her rallies and she didn’t have as many of them as Trump did. Hillary isn’t as likeable as Barack Obama. Her voice is annoying to listen to. Also, many people don’t trust her. She has a reputation for dishonesty and was under investigation by the F.B.I. at times during the race. Also, she is old news. People have been hearing about her for a long time. And what did she run on? Her campaign commercials during the World Series were all negativity ads and they didn’t promote stances on issues. Meanwhile the Trump commercials started out negative but then pivoted towards being positive by saying that Trump will bring change to make America a better country. Trumps commercials generated enthusiasm for Trump by having positive aspects and giving Americans something to believe in.
Trump had a good platform. He addressed issues that people care about. Trumps proposal to build a wall along the Mexican border is a very popular idea. Many Americans are tired of current and past Presidents not deterring illegal immigration. The American people finally have a guy who is going to fight back against illegal immigration, unlike recent Presidents who, regardless of what party they’re in, seem more interested in the well being of illegal immigrants than of American workers. People want the issue addressed, and Trump is a guy who will do it. Trade deficits and the closing of American factories as a result is a major issue that has been ignored by Presidential Nominees of both parties for a long time. Many Americans, even those that aren’t interested in working in a factory, want to see stuff made in America. Trump’s criticism of trade deals made during Bill Clinton’s Presidency and onward was a major theme of his campaign. Trump is willing to renegotiate NAFTA, a deal that he called a disaster and that has resulted in many American factories closing. Also Trump wants to stay out of Middle East wars. Americans aren’t interested in deposing dictators because Americans now view the Iraq War as a disaster. They don’t care whether or not Bashar al-Assad is a dictator. Americans are okay with the United States getting along well with Russia. Russia is not the bad guy, the terrorists are, and it’s the terrorists that Trump said he will bomb. And of course getting rid of Obamacare is another good part of Trump’s platform. Health insurance prices have started to rise, and so Obama’s healthcare law has become even more unpopular.
Donald’s selection of Mike Pence as his running mate also helped his chances. Both the Republican Establishment and some grass roots activists that supported Ted Cruz worked to tarnish Trump’s image among Republican voters. Mike Pence helped reverse this damage by appealing to both moderate voters who were weary of Trump and socially conservative voters who were skeptical of Trumps stances on issues. Pence also did a great job during the Vice Presidential debate by looking more Presidential than his opponent. Mike Pence was a nice compliment to Trump during the campaign.
Donald Trump was more appealing to voters in the upper Mid-Western states and Pennsylvania than recent Republican Presidential Nominees. These are the states that have great histories but have become the worst affected by the United States losing its manufacturing base. Trump’s criticism of NAFTA and his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement led to him being very popular among voters in those states. This popularity even extended to blue-collar workers, a demographic that is thought to usually support Democrats. These workers sensed that their futures were at stake, and they want a President who cares about them. White blue-collar workers are often ignored by Presidential candidates nowadays. Recent Presidents and candidates don’t seem to care that thousands of factories have closed and millions of jobs have been lost to other countries. Trump’s candidacy gave these people a voice that they have long deserved. Trump is also seen as a supporter of the coal industry, and this helped him in Pennsylvania. “Make America Great Again” has an especially strong appeal in these states because those states have been great in the past but have gone through rough times in recent decades. The states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania voted for Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016. Trump’s emphasis on bad trade deals helped him win those states and I believe he had a better shot of winning those states than any of the other Republican candidates that were in the primaries against him.
Donald Trump was a popular candidate. Trump’s appeal of being a non-politician, his ability to generate voter enthusiasm, a good platform, having Mike Pence as his running mate, and his popularity among voters in the upper Mid-West led to him winning the Presidency.
Conservative Dexter 