Trump/Vance advance through the election
With less than 100 days till election day, the Republican party has been through turmoil. Several obstacles have come their way, from their nominee being convicted of 34 felonies, to an assassination attempt on his life nearly two months later. Despite that, Republicans stand behind their candidate, continuing their support for former President Donald Trump.
Plastered over national headlines, Trump’s conviction for falsifying business records was decided on May 30. The case was originally submitted on March 30, 2023, and it lasted for nearly seven weeks before a jury found that Trump was guilty on all 34 counts.
The verdict was met with both applause and protest. Trump supporters denied the validity of the ruling, calling it a weaponization of the court and claiming that the judge and jury were corrupt. Democrats, however, approved of the ruling, believing that “no one is above the law.”
The verdict, and President Joe Biden’s shaky performance in the presidential debate on June 27 sent waves of support for Trump. Biden’s support began to weaken as Trump’s lead in the polls grew larger.
Shortly after the debate, the Supreme Court made a major ruling on presidential immunity from criminal prosecution on July 1. The ruling means that presidents are given a level of immunity for any actions taken that are within the presidential powers outlined by the constitution. No immunity is given for unofficial, or “personal,” actions committed by presidents. Many saw the ruling as beneficial to Trump, who is facing several civil cases and criminal charges.
Later that month, on July 13, while holding a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump’s right ear was grazed by a bullet during an assassination attempt. The perpetrator, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by secret service agents at the scene. Trump was rushed off stage and driven to a nearby hospital where his ear was treated, and was discharged later that day.
In a grand show of unity, Republicans and Democrats alike condemned any and all political violence and shared condolences and wishes for a steady recovery. Trump supporters were left scarred, but also energized by their candidate’s fighting spirit and apparent resilience. Their zealous support was shown two days later at the Republican National Convention, where Trump announced his running mate, James David Vance.
Together, they’re running to implement “Agenda 47”: the official set of policies the administration will follow. On their website, they promise to “seal the border and stop the migrant invasion” and “end inflation, and make America affordable again,” among many other promises. Various news outlets and public figures have noted similarities between the manifesto and the agenda “Project 2025.” However, Trump has denied any relation to the plan, which was largely written by his close associates.
After enjoying an exciting convention and a comfortable lead in polls, Biden dropping out of the race appeared to consolidate the Republican victory even more. However, with Biden’s endorsement, Vice President Kamala Harris received far more support than anticipated. The rapid rallying of supporters behind Harris has forced Trump to consider another strategy to maintain his popularity.
Switching his focus to attacking the handling of immigration and inflation by the Biden Administration after realizing that personal attacks and ridiculing won’t be as effective, Trump is “running to be President for all of America.”