Ah, Donald Trump: the filthy-rich, loud orange man hijacking the Republican presidential nomination that no one can stop. Everyone seems to hate Trump – Democrats, Republicans and the media – yet his poll numbers still rise over his competitors. If you’re confused on how this phenomenon came to be, then this article is for you.
In order to understand Trump’s rise, you first have to understand the Republican party’s current state. The Republican powers-at-be, having been experiencing years of internal conflict, are weaker than they’ve ever been. The party is growing increasingly fragmented and is beginning to split. What we’re likely to see after this election cycle is the detachment of the Tea Party and Libertarians from the slightly more moderate Republican base. Trump’s rise is a true sentiment of this as he isn’t a true Republican, but is essentially an independent.
The story of the 2016 presidential race is the story of the independent. You can’t talk about this year’s election without talking about independents. The two candidates currently resonating the most with voters are Trump and Bernie Sanders. These candidates also happen to be independents running with hopes of earning a nod from the two incumbent parties. It makes sense why they’re both doing well. Americans are frustrated with politicians in D.C.. Though the economy is doing better, they’re still making the same amount they made 10 years ago. On top of that, we have a new threat in the Middle East. However, Trump and Sanders are resonating for different reasons.
Sanders appeals to the broader spectrum of Americans because of his history and clear passion to help people. Trump, on the other hand, is doing well because of his showmanship. Trump is a household name. He has an existing brand that people know extremely well. On top of that, his outrageous comments have secured essentially unlimited, free media coverage – promoting his cause.
Early in the road to the presidency, many thought Trump would self-destruct, and understandably so. Trump’s comments are outrageous, xenophobic, racist and sexist. The Republican higher-powers, Democrats and media had every reason to believe his campaign would fall. As a result, no one went after him. Why should they waste money attacking him if he would ruin his campaign himself? We all know that never happened. Consequently, Trump has gotten so strong that it seems no attack-ads will help. The moral of the story on Trump’s rise to political power is that the Republicans, by not taking him seriously, may have sealed their own fate. The reality television star has played them all.
