As the 2016 election inches closer, candidates continue to cause controversy and spark debates on the issues pressing our nation. The mention of one name in particular seems to stir up far more emotions than that of their counterparts: Donald Trump. It’s a name that polarizes American citizens, splitting them in to two categories: those who support Trump and agree with his plans for our country, and those who think that he will do more harm than good for our country and would do anything to keep him out of office. Whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying that he has monopolized media coverage of this election.

My interest in the strategies of Donald Trump began as I was browsing a New York Times article on the cohabitation of young, unmarried couples. I was researching for a piece I wanted to write, and this was the only content I had clicked on. As I reached the end of the article, I skimmed the headlines of the ‘More in Opinion’ and ‘Recommended for You’ prompts, and saw that six out of the nine suggested articles named Donald Trump in the headlines. Another of those news stories didn’t speak about Trump in the title, but mentioned his campaign several times as I read through it.

Donald Trump isn’t a politician, but he is a celebrity. He knows how to entertain, and with him in the running, the campaign trail has begun to resemble reality television. A few people have noted this parallel, including Eric Deggans, who spoke on NPR in July about the Republican National Convention unfolding much like a reality TV show. You can listen to the interview and read the transcript here.

I recently stumbled upon a video by YouTuber Matthew Patrick, titled “How Trump is Winning with Reality TV.” The video is lengthy, but goes on to explain how Donald Trump’s actions mimic those of memorable stars on shows such as Survivor and Big Brother. Patrick names 4 strategies that Donald Trump has used to dominate the press and remain a player in the race for presidency: creating a clear persona, sticking to one message, creating drama, and anticipating the moves of his opponents. Click here to watch the video; it’s very well researched and worth the 16-minute time investment. Reality TV stars and Donald Trump both know that no publicity is bad publicity. They remain relevant because they are entertaining to watch.

Matthew Patrick’s video on Trump was released in February of this year, long before Donald Trump won the GOP party nomination in July. Patrick theorized that Donald Trump’s lead wouldn’t last for very long, yet it is now clear that the man has a legitimate chance to be the next President of the United States of America. I think that Donald Trump’s successful campaign can be attributed to his ability to stir up emotion in voters. Many of the things Donald Trump says and does are not typical of a Presidential candidate. His refusal to ‘play it safe’ is noteworthy, no matter whether or not he does so in a tasteful manner.

Trump has the attention of our nation. Now it’s time to wait and see what he will do with it next. Can someone with no former experience in politics effectively run our country? If he loses the election, what will his next publicity stunt be? It seems that we will all just have to wait and see.