On November 6, 2024, the election results revealed that former President Donald Trump was re-elected as the 47th President of the United States. He won in the battleground state of Wisconsin pushing him over to the edge 270 electoral votes. Kamala Harris responded to Trump’s win by saying “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign, hear me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright.” This was the second time in eight years that a woman became the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee and fell short of breaking a barrier by winning.
Republican Party
Donald Trump's win is an unbelievable upturn for a convicted felon and former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, a belief which sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He was convicted of 34 felony charges and has survived two assassination attempts.
With this election, Republicans gained control of the Senate with a critical win for Bernie Moreno in Ohio, Jim Justice in West Virginia, and Deb Fischer, who held her seat in Nebraska. The House Of Representatives of 211 Republican seats and 200 Democratic seats as the election with both houses of Congress and the Presidency, leaving very little room for checks and balances.
European Official's Reactions To Trump Wins
50 European officials congratulate Donald Trump on his defeat to Kamala Harris and return to the White House. The European diplomats from countries such as Hungary, Ukraine, and France prepared for his victory for 12 months and began practicing policies that would protect the European economy and prevent trade disputes. Trump has threatened to impose a 10% tariff on European nations, making them “pay the price for buying enough American goods.”Simultaneously, some European officials cannot believe the news, with one EU official who does not wish to disclose their name saying, “I am seeing it, and not wanting to believe, but I am not as shocked as last time.”
Kamala Harris Campaign & Defeat
Kamala Harris's campaign had many supporters and had the potential to save American Democracy from a threat. It was a sign that US politics would return to normal state affairs. After Joe Biden’s debate performance, the public began raising questions about his health, at which point. Kamala Harris and her team had to step in. Despite having the support of celebrities, and gathering more than a billion dollars through fundraising.
Kamala Harris picked the Minnesota governor Tim Waltz to be her running mate which made her a popular choice. Walz was less combative in his debate with JD Vance and was seen as being outdone by a MAGA favorite. In the final days of the campaign, in the final days of the campaign, it seemed as if women, especially white women, would turn into a large number of voters favoring Harris. The Harris campaign also launched an ad that directly reminded women that the ballot box was private and they could lie about who they voted for from their husbands if they felt pressured into making a choice that did not reflect their values. Despite this, the majority of white women and men voted for Donald Trump. It’s honestly not a surprise, especially with the misogyny and racism in this country; it’s ridiculous but more work must be done in this country.
Donald Trump's win is a frightening prospect for a lot of Americans, especially considering how they might be impacted by Project 2025. This is a document that blueprints the reconstruction of the executive branch and an overhaul of laws and policies limiting freedoms of large groups of people in the US. Some of the rights that this administration is targeting are abortion rights, LGBTQ+ protection, immigration, and racial equity. It would also target protestors, the use of force to shut down protests, and target journalists, which violates the First Amendment. Project 2025 would also censor curriculum and classroom discussions regarding race, gender, and systematic oppression, and plans to cut funding for education. This document has 900 pages outlining that which would serve a conservative agenda. Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, although a report from CNN discovered that approximately 140 people who worked on Project 2025 were members of Trump’s administration, and Trump himself used many of Project 2025’s talking points in his campaign.
As a result of all of this, the American Civil Liberties Union has written eight memos to challenge Trump’s second presidency and provide a guide to fighting to protect the freedoms of the people. The ACLU recommends by attending court to conserve and enshrine LGBTQ+ rights, abortion access, nondiscrimination laws, voting rights, and freedom of speech as well as as working alongside Congress members to tackle Project 2025’s extremist policies Project 2025’s extremist policies and use their power to investigate misconduct and executive branch policies that would threaten the rights and freedom of all citizens as a whole. Also, the ACLU plans to partner with state lawmakers around the country to pass laws that will protect citizens from federal intervention, and with communities organizing to educate the public regarding their rights and the harms of Project 2025. More information can be found here.
For Americans who are against the results of the 2024 election, this means that there are still ways they can fight for their rights without giving in to plans outlined in Project 2025. As Americans, it’s up to us to stand up for our rights and use our voices. These election results were a wake-up call for a lot of people, and it made me realize that not everyone is aware of the rights they’ll be losing. This is a learning moment for all the people who voted for him who are not minorities or rich, who will be affected negatively by his policies. Maybe not right now, but in the future. For right now all we can do is wait and see how everything turns out in January.
There are so many emotions going on in my head right now regarding this election, such as disbelief and a sense of dumbfoundedness. This is really America. A country full of people so ignorant and selfish that they’re not thinking about how their own family members and so-called friends who share different traits than themselves would be able to survive under Trump leading the country. Whenever someone mentions voting for Trump they only bring up the economy and abortion, but not so much on his other policies.
