This week America received news it had been anxiously waiting for: who would be in power for the next four years. The polls leading up to the 2024 presidential election showed both candidates to be in a dead-heat, adding to the suspense that came to a climax on Tuesday.
Former President Donald Trump claimed the victory after winning crucial swing states that led him to overcome the golden 270 electoral votes, with a total of 312 votes and counting. Trump won Wisconsin’s 10 electoral college votes, putting him over the 270 mark.
College campuses have historically been a place of high political involvement, a place to speak with peers, develop new ideas or reinforce preexisting ones. So, Marquette students had opinions about such a monumental event, especially considering that for most students this is their first time voting and being truly engaged with a presidential election.
Jasleen Kaur, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, serves as the chair of the Marquette College Democrats. She said that obviously, the election did not go the way she and the club had hoped.
“There is a sort of sad aura around campus today,” Kaur said.
However, for Kaur there are still positives to be found. She mentioned the win of incumbent Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore, Wisconsin District 4, in the U.S. House of Representatives as positives from the election results.
Kaur reiterated the importance of discourse and said that it can bring about change, as long as both parties approach it with an open mind.
“Continue the conversations you were having prior to the election,” Kaur said. “Engage in conversation with your family and your friends across the aisle.”
Having an open mind does not mean Kaur is at peace with the results. She noted that the Republican party having a majority in the Senate will make it easier for their nominations to be passed.
“I’m most worried about them hindering women’s reproductive health rights, immigration and the Department of Education,” Kaur said.
Because Wisconsin went red, Kaur said that the College Democrats will continue to amplify their efforts to have their voices heard.
“The election results are going to cause a lot of people to be disheartened. Do not give up hope and make sure that you are looking for avenues where you can make change, because your voice really does matter,” Kaur said.
While the Marquette College Democrats were mourning the loss of the election, Marquette Republicans were ecstatic.
The Republican party won the grand prize of the presidency, but the spoils did not end there. The U.S. Senate also went red, and while the results of the House of Representatives have not yet been called, Republicans currently hold a 211-199 seat lead.
Elliot Sgrignuoli, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, is the president of the Marquette Republicans Club. While he was expecting a Trump win, he did not anticipate the number of swing states that ended up in Trump’s favor.
“It tells you that this is what the American people wanted,” Sgrignuoli said.
He said the College Republicans watched the results roll in, and the Senate going red was a big moment for him and the group.
Policy and disconnection were two of the reasons Sgrignuoli pointed to when explaining why the race went the way it did.
“People were just fed up with prices and inflation,” Sgrignuoli said.
As for disconnection, he said that Vice President Harris being appointed as the Democrats’ candidate so recently shows that not everyone was in full support of her.
Sgrignuoli spoke hopefully about sustained success in the Republican party, specifically with hopes of JD Vance becoming the next Republican presidential nominee.
“I think he’s a great pick. He’s young, he’s 40 years old, he’s not going to be burnt out by the time he’s done with being vice president,” Sgrignuoli said. “We can’t keep sending in these 70-year-olds. We can’t keep doing that because it’s not connecting with the American people.”
Another member of the Marquette Republicans who wished to remain anonymous highlighted the importance of a Republican-controlled Senate.
“We will be able to get good things passed for the American people and work together with the Democrats to get important things done,” the member said.
The group is optimistic about the presidency and what it will mean for all Americans.
“Trump talked about bringing a new golden age to America and I think that’s really appealing to Republicans, independents and Democrats alike because we all want the same thing: peace and prosperity,” the member said.
Not all students felt strongly about either candidate, and the election brought up mixed opinions toward both parties.
On Wednesday, the Students for a Democratic Society: United with Milwaukee, held a rally to protest both parties. They said they neither party represent their views on Palestinian liberation. Over 100 people attended the rally to show their support.
“Regardless of the winner of the presidential election, we know there are no winners in genocide,” the group posted on their Instagram.
In the process of writing this story, the Wire reached out to a variety of sources across the political spectrum to attempt to ensure representation of multiple perspectives. Many of these sources were either unresponsive or unwilling to talk about the election.
This story was written by Ruby Mulvaney. She can be reached at [email protected].
