Immaculata University Students Explore the Dynamics of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election

Immaculata University recently hosted a campus-wide interactive presentation on the pivotal 2024 U.S. presidential election. The presentation, led by Joshua Weikert, Ph.D., professor of political science and international relations, examined the race between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. Dr. Weikert provided an in-depth analysis of voter trends, campaign strategies and the broader implications of one of the tightest presidential races in recent memory.

Weikert’s presentation offered a comprehensive breakdown of the election cycle, key voter demographics and factors that influenced the final results. Following the presentation, students and faculty participated in a lively Q&A session to discuss issues of interest.

Early in his talk, Weikert posed a thought-provoking question to the audience: “How long do you think it took commentators to start discussing the next presidential election after this one?” He emphatically shared the answer, “Twenty-eight seconds.”

Maintaining a non-partisan stance, Weikert dissected the factors contributing to Vice President Harris’s defeat on Nov. 5. A key issue, he explained, was the truncated campaign period—Harris had just 100 days to run her campaign. Despite this disadvantage, the race remained close, with polling data showing a nearly even split. However, on Election Day, a notable 12 million Americans chose not to vote, marking a 4.8% decline from 2020. Many of these non-voters had previously supported President Biden, a critical loss for Harris.

Weikert pointed out that Americans are partisan—not programmatic or ideological. This proved accurate on election day as single-issue voting predominated. According to Weikert, Harris lost mainly because most people ask themselves, “Am I better off today than I was four years ago?” The economy and inflation were common concerns among voters, and it was clear that many felt that they were not better off and wanted a change of leadership.

Many students in attendance were business majors interested in campaign finances, Trump’s proposed policy on tariffs and concerns about the Democratic Party’s branding challenges.  For students from all majors, the session provided valuable insights into how elections influence everyday life.

“The average American knows very little about politics,” Weikert observed. He cited an August survey underscoring this point, where many respondents were unaware that President Biden had stepped out of the race.

With the next election cycle, the question becomes “How have things been going?” Early on, the White House enjoys a brief honeymoon period before historically plummeting ratings plague the remainder of the current president’s term. If the American people lose confidence in Trump, “we’re not shy about screaming bloody murder,” Weikert said. Meanwhile, he noted that the Democrats will be busy in the off-cycle/off-year elections trying to flip the House of Representatives and narrow the Senate majority.

Freshman Nick Stiles, who is a business and sport management major, attended the presentation to expand his knowledge on the different sides. “What’s better for me and everyone in the world?” he asked. Stiles was particularly curious about how Trump’s policies might differ from those of the Biden administration.

Another student asked whether Trump would follow through on his campaign promises. Weikert acknowledged that while ambitious pledges—like tax cuts for all or free college tuition—are easy to make on the campaign trail, implementing them often encounters significant roadblocks. He predicted that Trump would push his agenda until facing public backlash, at which point Democrats could capitalize on the moment by stating, “this is what we warned you about,” when promises cannot be fulfilled.

At the conclusion of his presentation, Weikert reminded everyone that this was a close race. He encouraged people to vote—not just every four years, but every November. Americans may not fully understand every aspect of politics, but they choose the leaders of the country.