The upcoming 2024 election is quickly approaching, but there is still much that needs to be unpacked in the current political realm.

• The presidential election decides the fate of the nation for the next 4 years, but it is the duty of the American people to register and cast their votes for the election
• But what is important to highlight when looking at the candidates of this 2024 election?

Why it matters: Many of Carmel’s seniors are voting in their first election in November, so it is important for not only the seniors, but also the rest of the student body, to have background knowledge of the presidential candidates.

Brief Overview: The summer of 2024 made for quite a wild period in both the Democratic and Republican parties. This created a greater sense of uncertainty in the nation, and many people were lost in the chaos that the nation had undergone.

• On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump was shot by a would-be assassin and had a bullet graze his ear. A last-second head tilt saved the former president from a far more gruesome injury. This left the nation in a state of shock, but it gave Trump much more determination in his campaign work. A second attempt occurred on September 15 while Trump was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Gladly, the gunman was confronted before he had visibility of the former president. 
  • This has made for a frightening and uncertain period for Trump but has served as a rallying force for his supporters who are using these events to spur more support for Trump.
• On July 21, 2024, current President Joe Biden informed the nation that he would be withdrawing from the 2024 presidential election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. Harris has been in the White House since 2021 but has had to shift her focus to campaigning as she pursues the presidency of the United States. On August 6, Harris announced Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz, as her running mate. 
  • Joining the presidential race in such uncertain times was difficult for Harris, who did not have the popular vote from her party considering the withdrawal from Biden; however, Harris has

    

    dedicated her campaign to establishing her plans and primary policies.

Donald Trump: Trump served in office from 2017-2020, and he is the 2024 Republican candidate. The former president lost the 2020 election as the incumbent to Biden and Harris. He now has his eyes on the Oval Office once again. Grover Cleveland is the only president to have served non-consecutive terms in office, and if Trump wins the election, he would be the first president to serve non-consecutive terms under the 22nd Amendment. Trump has made it clear that this is his last time running for the presidency, so he is giving it his all in his 2024 campaign no matter what obstacles he faces.

Kamala Harris: Harris is the current vice president of the United States, and the 2024 Democratic candidate. Harris took office with Joe Biden back in 2021, where she was the first woman to ever assume the role of vice president. Now, Harris seeks to make more history as she could potentially be the first woman to hold the presidency. Harris has campaigned on similar platforms that Biden supported, but she has taken a greater step in attempting to combat Trump’s policies. Harris’s campaign work has had to be somewhat rushed, but she is diving head-first into spreading her platform an

d is invested in bettering the lives of many Americans.

The Debate: The two candidates went head to head in their first debate of the election season on September 10, 2024. This was a historic and anticipated moment in the nation as viewers tuned in to witness Harris’s first public debate as a presidential candidate. The Republican Party was eager to see a seemingly mellowed Trump take on Harris, as the Democratic Party was anxious to see their candidate’s responses to the many problems that the American public disliked in Biden’s presidency. The lingering opinion post-debate is that Harris performed better than Trump, as she kept her composure and used tactical strategies to prompt Trump to take on a defensive, reactionary tone. The ABC host opened the debate with the most anticipated topic that the American people hope to see changed in the next four years: the economy. 

Save the Economy: There are many policies and topics that could be discussed like the climate crisis, the border crisis, foreign affairs and women’s rights. However, seemingly the most anticipated topic to discuss is how both of the candidates plan on taking on the problems with the economy. 

• The future of high scholars now greatly depends on the economic policies that will be enacted shortly.
  • Harris has been overseeing President Biden’s “Bidenomics” which focused on major investments in infrastructure and green energy. At the moment, job creation has been strong but inflation and high interest rates continue to scorch American wallets. Harris plans to improve the economy and has pledged to provide “an opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed.” Harris has proposed mortgage assistance to first-time homebuyers and certain tax cuts that would support and strengthen the middle class.
  • Trump has had time to step back and observe what has been going on in the US economy and has focused his attention on the “inflation nightmare” that America has been facing. Trump’s plans include having tax cuts for all and placing tariffs on all imported goods. Trump has made it clear that if he gets office, he would commit to healing the economy.

Big Decisions: The 2024 election relies heavily on the action of the American people, and it is an exciting time for high schoolers who are voting in their first election. No matter the outcome, the nation will enter a new era and begin a new chapter in the history books.