Which campaign has won the hearts of the American people?

As Election Day nears, voters across the nation are running to the ballots (or racing to the mailbox) and casting their votes for which candidate has presented the most promise for the role of Commander-in-Chief. The past year has been full of precedent and propaganda, as both candidates have made striking attempts at gaining votes in this upcoming election. 

Representing the Democratic Party, Vice President Kamala Harris entered as a last-minute addition to the presidential race after current President Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy back in June. The Republican Party’s candidate, former president Donald Trump, has contributed further to the ongoing battle for the presidency, from varying political opinions to confusing comments.

Many are now wondering which campaign has proven the most appealing to the American people. Taking a closer look at each candidate’s ideology and political standpoints, The Vigornia has decided to attempt to answer this complex and multifaceted question.

Each candidate has taken a somewhat firm position on topics ranging from immigration reform to abortion rights to inflation and unemployment. Democrat Harris has presented a liberal, democratic perspective, advocating for the protection of women’s rights by reinstating provisions of Roe v. Wade if elected as president. Republican Trump, however, has held varying opinions towards the right to an abortion, claiming credit for the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade, while also touting that the decision on abortion rights should be left to state legislatures. 

Delving into both campaigns, there are numerous areas in which Americans could be persuaded or dissuaded from voting for each candidate.

The Harris campaign has utilized marketing strategies geared toward younger voters, using social media trends to garner support from younger Americans. Known as “Kamala HQ,” the TikTok account has about 5.3 million followers, boasting comical videos against Harris’ opponent, while also featuring real-life stories and influential legislation the Harris campaign hopes to accomplish as an administration. In addition, the slew of celebrity endorsements, as well as bipartisan support, has helped the Harris campaign gain notoriety for its fierce marketing strategies. Featuring various A-Listers, including the infamous Lil Jon appearance at the DNC roll-call, the campaign trail has stressed the importance of “not going back,” and moving forward with a new, female voice leading our country.

The campaign has also made use of Harris’ past as a former prosecutor to appeal to voters, as her years serving as the District Attorney of Los Angeles surrounded reform efforts and a “tough on crime” attitude. In addition, the Harris campaign has centered much of its rhetoric around Harris’ dedication to women and children, recalling her position as a Los Angeles prosecutor, as well as her upbringing in a single-parent household. By highlighting these crucial parts of her identity, the Harris campaign hopes to express the Democratic hopeful’s continued commitment to women’s rights as the future President of the United States.

The Trump campaign, however, has approached the election season with hopeful energy and controversial opinions. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s recent comments at a Sunday MAGA rally reverberated across the country, ranging from discriminatory jabs at Puerto Rico to offensive comments toward the Black community. While the Trump campaign issued an official statement reading, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Latino and Black voters hold a significant role in the outcome, and while this one appearance does not entirely impact official support from either group of people, the Trump campaign’s affiliation with marginalized communities has certainly fluctuated over the past year. 

Many commend Trump’s economic policies, stating that the economy flourished throughout his presidential run from 2016 to 2020. The growth of consumer spending, in addition to tax cuts and implementation of foreign tariffs, helped the American economy grow and financially prosper. However, his official stance on immigration has divided voters throughout the US, with the former President defending his plan of mass deportation across the country. In a recent 60 Minutes segment, the former Trump ICE chief explained how the Republican candidate hopes to deport nearly one million undocumented immigrants per year, stating that “[mass deportation] has to be done.” While many view this plan as an “attack” on immigrant communities in the United States, the American Immigrant Council reported that yearly mass deportation would cost $88 billion, seemingly causing a strain on the economy. 

The question of abortion rights has wavered in Trump’s official political stances. While boastful of his appointment of three Supreme Court Justices, all of whom voted in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, Trump has yet to support a nationwide abortion ban, much to the chagrin of anti-abortion organizations and pro-life Republicans. Instead, the former President promotes state influence over abortion legislation, explaining that “the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land.” Ambiguous comments, confusing standpoints, and open interpretation are all used in the rhetoric against Trump’s position on women’s rights. 

Many have expressed their desire for secured reproductive rights, stating that wives, sisters, and daughters influence their decisions in voting for the next president. Because of Trump’s confusing perspective on abortion, and Harris’ opinions in favor of securing these rights, many Americans seem to support Democrat Harris. 

In terms of the economy, many equate Harris’ future policies with what she has accomplished as part of the Biden administration. Despite declining inflation, in addition to some of the lowest unemployment rates in American history, some voters turn to Trump to secure economic prosperity, using his background as a powerful businessman to lead the country to financial stability.

With growing anti-immigrant sentiments over the past eight years, many are concerned about possible deportation policies associated with the Trump campaign, fearing a repeat of family separations and an economic strain for these grandiose ideas. Harris has been able to utilize her background as the daughter of immigrants to appeal to voters opposed to Trump’s immigration plans, as the Democrat candidate plans to create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and passage of a border-control and asylum adjustment bill. However, many are wary of Harris’ reform plans, as her role in the Biden administration saw record levels of migration through the Mexico-US border. The fears over undocumented immigrants have also influenced support for Trump, while some continue to endorse Harris’ plans for reform; both of which demonstrate the sharp divide along political lines. 

As Election Day dawns, with changeable predictions and an unclear victor, many voters are drawn to the past year, reexamining the strategies and political ideologies of each presidential candidate. Both campaigns, vigorous in the fight for the presidency, hold sharp positions on important issues within the impending election. After analyzing each candidate, with subsequent opinions and political affiliations, the popularity of the presidential hopefuls varies across the nation.

Awaiting the results of the election, watching millions of Americans exercise their right to vote, only one question remains: who will claim victory in the 2024 Presidential Election?