2024 Presidential election: An overview
By Taylor P.H.
With millions of Americans voting every four years to determine the next president of our nation, this year is no different. Leading up to November 5th, Election Day, the 2024 presidential election is shaping to be one of the most important in recent history, and with this, Airport students have been talking about the election with great concern, worry, and overall interest.
The election, held on November 5, 2024, saw candidates Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party and Donald Trump of the Republican Party go at it with the two representing their distinct perspectives regarding America’s current issues and challenges.
The main issues that were covered by the two candidates throughout their campaigns included a heavy focus on abortion laws, foreign policy, taxes, issues regarding the economy and inflation, and many other important issues that our country faces.
Kamala Harris, who served as vice president during Joe Biden’s presidency, ran on a platform that promoted abortion rights, healthcare, gun safety laws, and the advancement of environmental protections. However, in a controversial turn of events, her campaign was put under some scrutiny for the handling of immigration during her time as the vice president.
Another prominent issue that surrounded Harris and her campaign was her and Biden’s support of Israel in their war against Hamas. This act of the Biden administration during his presidency alienated some far left liberals who were against Israel, with the reception of the support of Israel receiving mixed reaction, but the overall sentiment was one of great disdain for Biden’s decision.
Donald Trump, who previously served his first term of the presidency from 2017 through 2021, emphasized stricter immigration policies, the reduction of federal taxes, and ending inflation. Trump’s return to the presidential stage was not one without controversy, though.
Throughout his campaign, legal investigations involving his business practices served as a central issue surrounding his campaign and the election as a whole.
Throughout the two candidates' three debates, the debates became heated with both candidates taking personal angles at each other as they discussed key topics involving immigration, the economy, and social issues.
Their first debate, held on September 10, 2024, saw the two throw many personal jabs at one another quite early into the debate with Harris targeting Trump’s crowd sizes, past business bankruptcies, and international reputation. Trump countered by calling out the inflation under Biden’s administration, linking Harris to policies he criticized as being extreme.
With the halls of Airport in high discussion about the recent elections, many have shared their opinions, with some concerned and others hopeful about the results and others hopeful.
When interviewed about his thoughts on how the election panned out, Airport senior Andy R. detailed his shock regarding the results of the election, saying that he thought the election was “a lot more surprising” than he’d expected.
Airport teacher Mrs. LeVeck, when asked about her thoughts on the election, said, “What I found most exciting and awesome about this election was the tremendous turnout by the younger voters--I'm talking about the under twenty-five crowd,” giving her enthusiasm and hope over the power of democracy that resides in our nation, “what a statement--to make democracy work by exercising their right to vote, and not leaving everything to the ‘old’ people!”
After all the noise surrounding the two candidates, Election Day arrived. The election resulted in the victory of Donald Trump, with him beating out Harris with 277 votes, officially making him the 47th president of the United States.
The reactions to the election results were mixed with some celebrating Trump’s second presidential win, some showing their excitement for a more stable economy and reduction of taxes, and others expressing their disappointments and concerns, particularly regarding immigration policies and abortion laws.
A day after the election, Harris took to social media on a positive, inspirational note with an Instagram post, with the caption reading, “My heart is full today--full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country, and full of resolve. The outcome of the election is not what we wanted or what we fought for, but hear me when I say: The light of America’s promise will always burn bright--as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”
With many seeing this as one of the most important and effective, only time will tell for our nation and the widespread effects of this election.
With that being said, it is important to realize that no matter the future implications, this was more than an election--more than a battle between two individuals for a spot to become one of the most important, if not the most important, figures in American politics.
It was a testament to the importance of voting, staying educated, and the power of democracy and diversity within our nation; take this as a message that to ensure a brighter future we must put our differences and personal biases aside for the sake of a better, more prosperous nation!