On Election Day, November 5th, 2024 the Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump won both the popular vote and the electoral college vote in the presidential race.
What many political analysts predicted would be a tight race between President-elect Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris was a decisive win for President-elect Trump.
As President-elect Trump swept key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Michigan, he gained a substantial lead in the middle of the night on November 6th, 2024.
President-elect Trump’s victory has led many Americans to reflect on the result of the election, which is sparking discussions about the mishaps of the Harris-Walz ticket and whether Vice President Harris’s campaign could have done more to secure victory.
John Jay College students shared a range of reactions to the outcome of the election. Students expressed both surprise and concern regarding President-elect Trump’s victory. A majority of students at John Jay College are not at ease with the results of the election.
Heba Bezoui, a junior at John Jay College, expressed confusion about President-elect Trump’s economic policies.
“He [referring to President-elect Trump] is not building the economy for the living average American,” he said. “I am struggling to understand how he is. He only cares for the rich,” said Bezoui.
Bezoui’s sentiments point to the polarization amongst students concerning President-elect Trump’s economic policies and whether or not his proposed policies benefit the middle class.
Lunar Maryeski, a junior majoring in criminal justice at John Jay College, expressed that she was taken aback by the election results. She described her experience following the election coverage.
“I genuinely thought that the states that weren’t counted [yet] would help and mail-in votes,” they said. “I didn’t expect this result and in the numbers it came in,” said Maryeski.
John Jay students have also expressed sentiments regarding their concern for the rights of marginalized groups after the election outcome.
Danielle Faynberg, a junior at John Jay matriculating in the BA/MA forensic psychology program, commented on this topic.
“I am disappointed in democracy. I fear for the future and literally every single minority right,” he said. don’t even get me started on my fears, or now a reality, that Project 2025 instills,” said Faynberg.
Project 2025 is a conservative policy initiative proposed by the Heritage Foundation. It outlines plans that aim to end same-sex marriage, reshape government operations, abolish the Department of Education, and ban abortion nationwide.
Despite speculation of his involvement in Project 2025, President-elect Trump has denied any direct involvement and has downplayed its role in his presidential campaign.
While many students have expressed concern over the results of the election, some students abstained from voting in the 2024 election.
John Pozo, a student at John Jay College majoring in computer science and information security, shared that he was surprised by Trump’s victory irrespective of his choice to not vote for a candidate in the 2024 election.
“Even though I personally did not vote, I thought Harris was going to win,” he said. “Trump came back[,] won, and the economy could potentially get better. Anything could really happen,” said Pozo.
Rebecca Conseillant, a sophomore at John Jay majoring in criminology, voted for Kamala Harris. She expressed a deep concern over Trump’s return to office.
“I couldn’t support Trump because of who he is and who he associates himself with. He’s trying to come across as passive, but he’s really not,” she said.
Conseillant elaborated on her fears about Trump’s influence in office, reflecting on the broader impact his presidency could have.
“Now we’re more divided than ever and I’m scared about the future, especially for the Black community and women. I worry about how far back this could set us,” said Conseillant.
Asheyanna Deane is a contributing reporter to this story.
