In the latest episode of the Democracy’s Future podcast, you’ll hear ISU students react to Donald Trump’s election as the 47th president on Wednesday.
Junior secondary math education major Benjamin Mota, from Frankfort, said he voted for Trump and was satisfied with the results of the election.
“It went exactly as expected,” Mota said. “I was paying attention [to] how Donald Trump was running his campaign and how Kamala Harris was running [her] campaign, and overall, it felt like Kamala Harris’s was not well-rehearsed or well-planned.”
Mota said that Trump’s victory over Pennsylvania—a key state in the race—came as a surprise.
Mota said he believes democracy is not in danger, but the opposite.
“In a weird way, I think it’s going to unite people more than it’s going to disconnect [them],” Mota said. “I’ve learned from one political aisle that I came out voting for Trump and I’ve been getting a lot of hate … especially being a minority, whereas when I was more [leaning Democratic], nobody really cared whether I was a Democrat or not.”
Mota said that as a Mexican American, he hears of beliefs in his community that they are in favor of illegal immigrants entering the country, but that it most likely comes from others who have entered the country illegally.
“We don’t want to be stigmatized with them,” Mota said.
Senior mass media major Julia Acke from Palatine voted for Democrat Kamala Harris. She said she now feels embarrassed as an American.
“I personally thought the public would sway more towards Kamala just because he [Trump] is a convicted felon, but apparently not,” Acke said.
Acke explained why she believes Trump’s presidency will be a danger for democracy.
“I think our country is going to be divided severely, especially with comparing it to the 2020 election,” Acke said. “I don’t think he will do many good things for this country.”
Acke shared her background in politics and why she chose to vote for Harris.
“I grew up a Democrat because of my parents, and then once I was able to make the decision, by myself, it is still the same as my parents,” Acke said.
Junior elementary education major Leah Reyna, originally from Hoffman Estates, voted for Harris. She said she was shocked at the results.
“I was very overwhelmed,” Reyna said. “I think there’s the potential for it [Trump’s victory] to be very damaging. I think that his plans that he’s talked about and everything in place so far has the potential to be very catastrophic—especially for my position being an elementary education major.”
Reyna said she thinks Trump’s popularity among younger voters is surprising.
“I think the fact that these different demographics have been increasing in voters for him is very unusual considering everything that he’s said and everything that he’s shown that he stands for,” Reyna said.
Junior biology teacher education major Oliver Gaddis from Springfield voted for Harris. He explained why he is scared for the future of the country.
“It seems so dystopian that it’s kind of hard to think about,” Gaddis said. “It wasn’t played out very well by the Democrats in a lot of ways.”
Senior communications major Drew Porter, originally from Antioch, did not vote in this year’s election. He shared that he was not driven to vote for either Trump or Harris.
“With the candidates that were there, I didn’t really trust either side,” Porter said.
Porter said his family had wanted him to vote due to being an African American who wouldn’t have had the right to vote until 1870.
Porter said he believes Trump is a very good businessman, but that he doesn't trust Trump as president.
“To run a country—it’s not just about business,” Porter said. “For him to be our leader, I don’t really trust him to make the final say. ”
Porter said he believes Trump’s increased popularity among minority voters is because of social media.
“If you put the right type of stuff out there to get into people’s heads and get into people’s feeds, they’re going to instantly think one thing because that’s all they see,” Porter said. “I feel like social media is really corrupt nowadays.”
Freshman undecided major Emily Zamora, originally from Chicago, voted for Harris. She said she believes women will lose several rights they currently have.
“It’s just really sad that he has won after seeing his policies,” Zamora said.
Zamora said she believes that rights for LGBTQ+ individuals, those working in education and people of color will now change significantly.
Zamora hypothesized that Trump’s increased popularity among Hispanic voters may be due to an increase in citizens from Venezuela in the Chicago area.
“In Chicago, there’s like a mini debate going on because many people who seek refuge [in Chicago] have overtaken little villages and neighborhoods which I think [influenced] Mexicans and Americans to vote for Trump,” Zamora said.
Sophomore education administration major Kavarrion Newson, originally from Chicago, voted for Trump. He said that Trump supports the things that he personally believes in.
“He best supports people of my color—black and brown,” Newson said.
Newson said he believes Trump has set a good example by fighting for leadership.
“The last four years and what we’ve seen is that [Trump fought relentlessly] trying to be the president or trying to be the leader of this country," Newson said. "I really believe it shows that, despite the naysayers and despite the things that may be against you, if you still strive for a goal and if you still strive for something that you want and pursue it enough, it may be in your favor.”
Newson said he is inspired by Trump’s motivation.
“For me, it’s his political stance and, like I said, his resilience to not give up,” Newson said.
Please give us your feedback on this series. Email us at news@wglt.org.
Subscribe to Democracy’s Future on the NPR App or wherever you get your podcasts. For a full transcript, visit this episode on Apple Podcasts.
