The 2024 election cycle could easily be the most important in our nation’s history. In a volatile political climate, domestic issues (e.g. reproductive rights, the economy, immigration) are becoming increasingly important to voters.
We’ve heard it before: Harris promises to prioritize the “average” American, but Trump wants to cut taxes for the wealthy. Harris offers unwavering support to our allies; Trump seems more interested in being friends with Putin. Harris championed the fight for reproductive rights; Trump appointed the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.
Looking beyond specifi c policies, the candidates’ rhetoric also clashes: Kamala Harris and the Democrats are painting a second Trump presidency as “the end of democracy,” while Trump wants his MAGA believers to buy that Harris will single- handedly destroy our country.
Objectively speaking, the country has been far from perfect under Biden and Harris. Americans have felt the impact of high inflation, illegal immigration has increased, and our foreign presence overseas has dwindled.
Yet Americans should be questioning almost every one of Trump’s schemes. What will happen if Trump successfully weaponizes the Department of Justice and military to prosecute his political adversaries? What if he replaces tens of thousands of civil servants with yes-men loyal to only him?
While the election’s results will be monumental for the country as a whole, they are also important for the two parties.
For the Democrats, a defeat would force intense self-reflection, unlike the Republicans (who constantly encourage competition—just think about all the challengers Donald Trump defeated in his 3 races for the Republican nomination!) Clinton, Biden, and Harris basically won their nominations unchallenged. Without a competitive primary, the party isn’t able to test how the candidates perform in their campaigns. This was probably why Clinton lost in 2016: she faced very little opposition (aside from Bernie Sanders, whose economics policies were written off by many as “too socialist”). The Democrats’ false confidence in Clinton eventually came back to bite them.
The election also threatens to have major impacts on gender equality. If Trump does successfully beat Harris, this will be the second time that a woman of experience loses to a psychopath with little political experience and highly questionable character. It’s very likely that both parties would hesitate to nominate a woman again—a major setback in the fight against sexism.
Seeing as this is almost certainly Trump’s last presidential campaign, this election will also be a make-or-break for the MAGA camp. Sure, JD Vance could hold the ship down for a couple of years, but it seems unlikely that Trump loyalists will be able to maintain control over the GOP long-term.
Honestly, this might be a good thing for the Republicans long-term—a return to more moderate candidates would be a welcome change of pace. Even Nixon’s Watergate scandal, which forced him to resign, pales in comparison to Trump’s long list of controversies. You know something’s wrong when a former president is convicted of 34 felony charges and incites an insurrection and no one bats an eye.
In the short-term, however, this election has the power to potentially destabilize the party. There’s a large overlap between MAGA-devotees and Republicans, so it’s unclear how leadership within the GOP would handle a Trump defeat.
The importance of this election cycle is not limited to the presidential race. Without a majority in the Senate and the House, it’s very unlikely that, if elected, Harris or Trump will be able to make substantive political changes.
The congressional election is just as competitive as its presidential equivalent (if not more!). Currently, the Democrats hold a tiny 51-49 seat lead in the Senate. In total, 34 seats are up for challenge in 2024 (23 of which are held by Democrats). To take back control, the Republicans only need to win two of the eight most competitive states.
I firmly believe that this election cycle will be the most important we see in our lifetime. The results of this election will dictate our policies for navigating the most complicated geopolitical landscape in U.S. history. Whichever party wins will determine our solutions to the most nuanced issues our country has ever faced. We can only hope that it’s the right one.
