Election Day is the day that U.S. citizens, from all regions of our country, have the opportunity to vote for the candidate they believe would best suit being our president.
It has come to my attention that the fluctuation in candidate support has become much more drastic and apparent perhaps due to a change in what voters are looking for in their leader: strength in presence and assertion.
This is exemplified by Donald Trump, who has held his front-runner position and also Ted Cruz who has gained a large amount of support, jumping to second place, as Ben Carson loses over 20 percent of his support.
As of last Thursday’s, Jan. 14, the Republican Debate in South Carolina, Dr. Ben Carson, who was previously polling within four points of front-runner Donald Trump, has dropped drastically to 7 percent support. This is surprising, considering that Carson only recently held 28 percent in the polls, according to a Republican voter survey by Fox News.
With the other candidates dwindling out of support and out of the minds of voters, we are beginning to see that those who were expected to do well are not living up to those expectations. Jeb Bush has dropped significantly to 4 percent based on the same poll, Rand Paul was kicked-out of the upper level debate and Scott Walker, the previously thought runaway candidate, has long since dropped out of the election all together.
Although I’ve always liked Carson and his methods of thinking, there is no doubt that he comes off as quiet and underwhelming. This is key to understanding the reason that Trump has maintained his high numbers, and why Senator Ted Cruz of Texas was able to quickly gain so much support, just as Carson was losing his.
Within a few seconds of listening to Cruz or Trump, you’re able to tell that they will not only speak their mind, but they will make sure they’re heard. They made it very clear on Thursday’s debate that they believe our current leadership is not doing everything in its power to protect and benefit this country’s citizens, in addition to presenting their plans.
The gap between them also appears to be closing, and Trump and Cruz have seemingly ended their friendly truce. The two attacked each other more during the debate than any other two candidates have before. Cruz is catching up, and has come quite a long way in terms of support, but still has a long way to go if he wants to pass Trump.
“In the last three polls, I’m beating you,” said Trump during the Thursday’s debate in response to Cruz’s claim that he is beating Trump in Iowa, “You know you shouldn’t misrepresent how well you’re doing.”
Despite being an important state for Republican candidates, Iowa alone cannot win you the nomination. Trump is right, Cruz may be doing better, but 20 percent is still a long way from Trump’s 33 percent.
The major difference between the two remains their attitudes and style of presentation. Cruz takes his time and puts a great deal of effort into demonstrating what his plans are and how they would work. Not to say that Trump hasn’t thought through his policies, but it is evident that Cruz is much more detail oriented, while Trump gives more of a general perspective, stating that the specifics are dependent on the details of the issues as they arise. A leader needs to be flexible in terms of decisions.
Trailing not far behind in third place, is Senator Marco Rubio, who has long been a hit or a miss when it comes to conservatives. There are many who disapprove of his policies, claiming they jeopardize Republican values, while others, myself included, respect him for making smart choices that pertain directly to the people.
With 13 percent support, he shouldn’t be ignored or taken lightly as a threat by the front-runners. Rubio is the type of candidate who shows good composure and, regardless of viewpoints, is able to get along, or at least work well with, people from all parts of the political spectrum, resonating well with voters who want a candidate that can speak powerfully without yelling and throwing low-ball insults.
Of course, there is no perfect leader. The presidency is a chance to elect who would be best suited to represent our country. You can’t agree completely with everything said by each candidate. A good leader is someone who is able to handle unforeseen circumstances as they come up.
Business experience, dealing with politicians, and working with people who make decisions for our country are all important qualities and useful skills. But it’s clear by these numbers and recent changes that strong presentation and appearing unrestrained go far in gaining voters favor.
Still, it’s up to you to do research and take a deeper understanding of the issues from all angles, even if you don’t typically resonate with a particular political party.
