Erin Grant and Lilyana Vasquez
Staff Writers
In light of recent years, the American people are no strangers to unprecedented times. From the COVID-19 pandemic, to Black Lives Matter protests, American citizens have experienced unique phenomena.
Political scientists have been documenting high tensions leading up to a presidential election for decades, but this year in particular, interest in elections is at an all time high.
This summer has brought an unprecedented wave of political campaign news that has captivated the nation like never before. From surprising candidate announcements to high stakes controversies, the events of this summer have set the stage for what may be one of the closest watched elections in recent history.
Former President Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of fraud under campaign finance laws, including the testimony of Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen.
This conviction sparked significant debate across the political system. It is important to note that this conviction will not stop the former president from being able to run for president in 2024. While the wider impact of Trump’s conviction has been controversial, both sides seem to agree that public image is everything during an election.
“I don’t think that is the moral thing that we would want for our country, or our society,” President of FSC Democrats Solana Millik said. “I think it definitely has impacts in that regard, and also how we’re regarded by other countries.”
Former president Donald Trump and his legal team understand that this conviction is a blow to his optics. A recent supreme court ruling, Trump v. Thompson, states that Trump does not receive immunity for the uprising that occured at the capital on Jan. 6.
In regards to this policy, Trent Warnock, president of FSC Republicans said, “The reality of our political system is that this is kind of how things are laid out and so, a convicted felon, as odd as it sounds, can in fact run and is allowed to,” president of FSC Republicans Trent Warnock said. “My personal feelings won’t change that.”
Despite fighting ongoing legal battles, former President Donald Trump still managed to actively campaign over the summer. The Trump administration held several rallies across the country, many charting high attendance and significant media coverage. On June 27, President Biden, and Trump competed in the first debate of the 2024 general election.
“I would say that public perception overall with the first presidential debate between Biden and Trump definitely went down for both candidates,” Millik said. “Talking about golf scores isn’t what any voter wants to see.”
Despite the golfing arguments, a key subject during the debate was immigration.
“[Biden] decided to open up our border, open up our country,” Trump said during the debate, in reference to the United States southern border.
Biden was unable to dispute many of the claims made, which became an increasing concern to many democrats.
“It was absolutely the nail in the coffin for President Joe Biden,” Warnock said.
The country was left stunned on July 13 after the assassination attempt on Trump. At about 5 p.m. the Secret Service was made aware of a suspicious male loitering near the rally. Approximately two minutes before the shots were fired, several attendees spotted an armed man on a rooftop about 450 feet away from the stage where Trump was speaking. Trump’s attempted assassination attempt became a prominent talking point amongst the media, and increased concern for safety within the political sphere.
After having his ear grazed by a bullet and ducking down, Trump raised a fist in the air surrounded by his Secret Service members and mouthed the words, “Fight!” This reinforced Trump’s status and raised support especially within the Republican party.
On Sunday, July 21, Biden announced that he was stepping down from his campaign for the November reelection.
Soon after Biden’s renouncement, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in her candidacy for president. Harris has already secured endorsements from prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. The Democratic fundraising platform Act Blue reported that Harris’ presidential campaign raised over $46 million in the hours following Biden’s endorsement.
On Tuesday, Aug. 6, Kamala announced Tim Waltz as her running mate. Waltz served six terms in the U.S House of Representatives, and is currently serving his second term as the North Star State’s governor.
Trump officially made the announcement at the Republican National Convention (RNC) that J.D. Vance will be his running mate. Vance holds experience in the government sector, being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022. Vance was once a fervent critic of former President Trump, and has now positioned himself to carry on the Make America Great Again movement.
If there’s one consensus among Democrats moving forward with the Democratic National Convention (DNC), it’s that there’s a renewed sense of hope in the atmosphere.
“In the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand—and where the United States of America belongs,” Harris said.
Additionally, Michelle Obama spoke alongside Harris and extended her regards of hope towards the country. “Our fate is in our hands,” Ms. Obama said. “In 77 days, we have the power to turn our country away from the fear, division, and smallness of the past. We have the power to marry our hope with our action.”
Donald Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention (RNC) declaring he was more determined than ever to win the election. Delegates attending the convention participated in various signs of support, one of the most notable being the appearance of bandages placed on the right ear to match the former president’s look following the assassination attempt. Trump and other Republican leaders focused on the big ticket issues within the party like immigration and inflation. As he took the stage, Trump promised to address the massive invasion at our southern border in future policy efforts.
FSC students can join Republican Club and College Democrats on Oct. 1 at 9 p.m. to watch the vice president candidate debate.
