By: Mikala McBride, Contributing Writer
In one of the most controversial elections in American history, citizens had to choose Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump or a third party candidate as their future president, as well as vote in Senate, Congressional and local elections. The time since formal announcements of candidacy has been filled with name-calling, fact-checking and FBI investigations – undoubtedly, one of the most un-presidential elections of all time, both in the debates and formal interactions.
In the days leading up to the election, Wofford’s campus was been abuzz with commotion, as both excitement and dread filled the minds of students. Those who were undecided were forced to either pick a candidate they resented or decline to vote, and students who has already chosen their future president casted their absentee ballot, voted early or skipped class to go to the polls on Tuesday.
Lots of indecisiveness has plagued Wofford’s campus as even the College Republicans (noting there is no official College Democrats organization) did not publicly declare their support of a candidate. Conflicting interests and split consciences left the committee unable to support the Republican nominee. Leader of the organization, Maggie Stewart ’17, says, “I have not supported Donald Trump since the primaries. He was never my first option… he was probably my last option.”
The impact of this election has been widespread throughout Wofford, with the hosting of debate parties and participation in the SoCon Votes challenge against rival athletic schools. But Wofford has not always been so engaged. In the last presidential election only 9 percent of students reported voted. The hope is that more students exercised their right to vote this time around.
One of the strangest parts of this election remains the lack of outright support of a candidates on Wofford’s campus. In previous years, organizations publicly supported candidates, particularly noted in the 2012 election. Guthrie McQueen ’17, who serves on the executive council of the Republican National Committee and supported Donald Trump, says, “It’s strange we haven’t seen either parties have a vocal student group on campus.” He explains that people voted on their own terms in this election and that in particular cases, he feels both Clinton and Trump supporters may not have wanted to admit their support, both because of the conservative area and the connection each candidate had to certain ideas.
Despite how the election has played out on campus, the true test will come with the reaction to the results. On Tuesday night, the American people chose Donald Trump as their President-elect. He has promised to build a wall along the southern border of the US, remove and replace Obamacare, bring manufacturing jobs back, defund Planned Parenthood, temporarily ban foreign Muslims from entering the US, negotiate or withdraw from NAFTA, strengthen the military, defeat ISIS, reconstruct the Iran deal, bring back jobs from China and reduce the national debt. On Jan. 20, Trump will be inaugurated into office and he and the American people will be put to the test – will he uphold his promises, and how will the country react to his presidency?
