There were scandals… there were gaffes… there were accusations – despite an ocean of odds, Donald Trump claimed victory over the formidable opponent and promising Hillary Clinton in the presidential election of the United States, 2016. With the very announcement, eyebrows were raised, hearts skipped a beat and apprehensions came to the forth, on imaging Trump’s America. Here’s a close look at what might have been the reasons behind this severely unexpected results – the reasons that might have caused Mr. Trump take an upper hand over the former senator of the Democratic Party, Ms. Clinton.
Trump’s electoral college win was largely because of his magnificent and quite surprising victories in power states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan and the defeat of Hillary in Ohio, North Carolina and Florida.
The rural and working class voters from Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania were largely won over by Trump’s protectionist and anti-immigrant message. Hillary had already lost the primaries to Senator Bernie Sanders in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania earlier.
Hillary’s strong support among Hispanics was negated by the high turnout of white voters and the absence of enough Hispanic population in other key states.
Trump’s support base included the socially conservative evangelicals who were opposed to Hillary’s social liberal positions on abortion for example.
Hillary failed to repeat the social coalition, which favored Obama during his time. The white working class from rust belt, the evangelical communities in the mid-west and the southern regions – all voted for Trump. African Americans turned out in less counts, thereby making it very difficult for Hillary to breathe in the swing states.
No matter even if he wasn’t a man of substance, he had enough confidence and energy to win over the hearts of Americans.
Call it cunning or whatever, Trump’s words have always been less as scripted, pristine and sophisticated as Hillary’s. The speeches of this anti-elite candidate were convincing enough to the mass to seem not pushed or force-fitted at all.
Trump had been frequenting in the idiom us-versus-them xenophobia, not racism. The “us” identifies “regular” Americans and rejects elites’ cosmopolitanism. This might have had a wide appeal, even if they were backed by real offensive ideas sometimes.
Hillary’s sales pitch flaunting herself as the first lady, senator and secretary of state who has learned how to work the system, over the years presumably left her uniquely disadvantaged to defend against Trump’s anti-establishment political background.
Hillary’s vote for the Iraq War made a lot out there promise about never voting for her again. Also, 70% of voters think she isn’t someone to be trusted upon at all. She had her impression as one of those old-school-politician who would just make promises for the sake of getting elected. She definitely couldn’t drag enough people out of the house to the polls. Donald Trump just did it!
By Soumi Pandey Via VisualBest