“Elections in the United States: Between a Chaotic Past and an Unexpected Candidate”, an article by Dr. Leonel Fernández

Initially, the US presidential elections, held this past November 5, seemed like a kind of revenge for the one that took place four years ago, in 2020, between then-President Donald Trump and the current president of the nation, Joe Biden.

Many potential voters would have wanted other electoral options. In fact, the majority considered that neither of the two candidates running to continue or retake the White House was up to national expectations.

Thus, from early on in the current American electoral cycle, there were voices, both on the Republican and Democratic sides, who believed that both candidates should be replaced.

Within the Democratic Party, however, no one dared to publicly challenge President Biden’s re-election aspirations. Nor did they dare to do so within the Republican Party, where Donald Trump had become the dominant figure. Thus, it seemed that the electorate was condemned to having to accept the electoral choice that was offered.

Trump on Trial

Donald Trump’s candidacy was so secure that he did not even bother to appear at the debates of the Republican candidates. The fear prevailed that not supporting him would mean political ostracism for the Republican candidates running for senatorial positions and representatives of the different states of the American Union.

However, a serious obstacle began to arise in his aspirations. Judicial investigations were emerging. The events of January 6, 2021, with the assault on the Capitol, were being investigated. A trial was being conducted in the state of Georgia for interference in the electoral process.

Kamala Harris’ Image Emerged Strengthened from the Debate with Donald Trump

Donald Trump was being investigated for having misappropriated classified documents belonging to the American State; for false declarations on commercial and tax transactions; and even for payments with campaign funds to a pornographic actress.

Donald Trump was convicted of 34 criminal charges, as well as having to pay bail in order to obtain his provisional freedom. In short, a judicial siege ensued that seemed to eliminate him from the presidential race.

Then, surprisingly, he was saved from total shipwreck by a Supreme Court sentence, which established immunity in those cases in which the accused acted in an official capacity in the exercise of his functions.

Saved from judicial encirclement, tragedy struck. While in the middle of a mass rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, he was the victim of a criminal attack. He miraculously escaped the attack, perpetrated by a young man of barely 21 years of age who shot him from the roof of a nearby building.

The director of the United States Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, in a statement before the US Congress, said that the attack on Trump represented the most serious security negligence in decades, which forced her to resign from her position. Subsequently, five other Secret Service agents have been removed from their duties, while investigations continue, surrounding the episode with questions and uncertainty.

A pesar de que en principio se resistía a ceder la candidatura a otro miembro de su partido, las presiones internas y de la opinión pública nacional, se colocaron por encima de su orgullo, hasta hacerlo ceder la nominación presidencial en favor de su vicepresidenta, Kamala Harris.

From Biden to Kamala

In the electoral process leading up to the November 5 elections, Joe Biden appeared, in all the polls, between 5 and 6 percentage points below Trump. Because of that, as part of a strategy, he challenged his Republican adversary to an early debate.

In different scenarios, President Biden looked disoriented and his cognitive faculties were deteriorating. The debate would be the opportunity to prove otherwise. This did not happen: it turned out to be a catastrophe.

Although he initially resisted giving up the nomination to another member of his party, internal pressures and national public opinion were placed above his pride, until he gave up the presidential nomination in favor of his vice president, Kamala Harris.

The mere fact that he had passed the torch to her second-in-command provoked a radical change of attitude in the Democratic Party, as well as in various segments of the American electorate. There was talk that Kamala Harris had suddenly become a political phenomenon, with momentum on her side and the ability to generate enthusiasm, optimism and hope.

From a political point of view, however, she was still unknown to the general American public. The question remained as to whether she was sufficiently prepared to assume the role of Head of State, as well as to face a verbal duel against a man with a complex personality and a particular Donald Trump style.

She did it. According to the general opinion polls, she dealt a severe blow to her Republican opponent. Her image emerged strengthened, and Trump even refused to participate in a second debate against her.

Now, opinion polls indicate that, although by a narrow margin, she is ahead of the Republican candidate. In the direct vote, she would win by a wide margin. The issue was to win in six key states in order to obtain the 270 electoral colleges needed to be crowned the winner.

Would Kamala Harris be the last and definitive barrier to Donald Trump’s return to the White House, thus becoming the first woman to lead the destiny of the most powerful nation in the world?

In this regard, the American people would have the final say.