ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
In a large upset victory,
Republican
nominee
Donald
Trump won the presidential
election
after
capturing
Wisconsin, North Carolina and
Pennsylvania, which Democrats
had considered crucial to their
victory. The race was called at
2:30 a.m. by the Associated Press.
On campus, which largely
voted against Trump, his election
sparked some celebration, but also
significant anxiety and concern
from many students because of
his policies on immigrants,
Trump
will
be
the
first
candidate to be elected to the
White House without having
previously served in elected office
or the military, and his victory
comes after most polls predicted
strong chances of a Clinton
victory.
As
of
early
Wednesday
morning, Michigan’s electoral
votes were still too close to call,
but their outcome will not impact
Trump’s win. The state, along
with several of the ones that
spurred Trump to victory, was
originally supposed to be a part
of Democratic nominee Hillary
Clinton’s “blue wall” in the
Midwest. Polls throughout the
election season showed the state
leaning towards Clinton but in the
days prior to the election, similar
to other states that emerged as
unexpected
battlegrounds
in
Trump’s path to victory Tuesday
evening, the state came into
question again as a potential
upset for Trump as the race
narrowed. As of 2:30 a.m., Trump
was leading with 48.1 percent in
Michigan. If he wins, he will be
the first GOP nominee to carry
the state since 1988.
Because
of
the
closeness
of the race, both Trump and
Clinton made some of their final
campaign pitches in the state. The
University was also one of several
places nationwide to receive
a visit from President Barack
Obama Monday, who campaigned
for Clinton on campus in a bid to
enthuse students and other state
residents.
Monday night in Grand Rapids,
at Trump’s final rally, he told the
crowd that a victory in Michigan
would translate to a nationwide
triumph.
“If we win Michigan, we will
win this historic election and then
we truly will be able to do all of
the things we want to do,” he said.
Upon the first announcement
of his candidacy, Trump was
not taken seriously by both
the media and the public, but
he quickly gained support and
corresponding media coverage.
He has built his campaign around
what now makes his presidency
unique — being the first president
elected with no experience in
politics or the military — and
overcoming
significant
doubt
along the way.
LSA junior Enrique Zalamea,
president of the University’s
chapter
of
the
College
Republicans, wrote in an email
interview that he is excited to see
the country elect a leader who
he believes will best guide the
country. The College Republicans
endorsed Trump early in the
semester, several months after he
was selected as the nominee.
“We are incredibly blessed to
see how the American people
have recognized that Trump is
the candidate to truly represent
the American people, Christian
values, and conservative ideals,”
he wrote. “We are exuberant to
see the end of 8 years of Obama,
and cannot wait to help continue
to
bridge
the
gap
between
millennials and politics under a
Trump presidency.”
However, for many University
students, comments that Trump
made throughout his campaign
both in speeches and online on
immigrants, Muslim Americans,
African Americans and women
sparked
significant
concern
Wednesday morning.
Several
students
expressed
fear for the safety of their family
Throughout the 2016 presidential
election, candidates from both
major political parties visited the
University of Michigan and other
locations across the state leading
up to the primaries and general
election to mobilize millennial
voters. While this key electorate has
had low voter participation rates
historically, University students
have deviated from that trend in
this presidential election.
Over the past few months, The
Michigan Daily polled a sample
of University students about their
voting habits and priorities in the
election, in effect creating a profile
of student voters on campus.
In terms of overall preference in
the election, the most recent poll,
conducted on Nov. 6, upheld the
ongoing trend that most University
student identified as a Democrat.
In the Nov. 6 poll, 54 percent of
respondents said their beliefs most
aligned with the Democratic Party.
In contrast, 19 percent identified
with the Republican Party, similar
to earlier polls as well.
Over the past few weeks of
polling,
those
numbers
have
shifted. The data has shown
support for the Democratic Party
has grown marginally among
students, from 51 percent on Sept.
30 to 55 percent as of Nov. 6. For
Republican supporters, alignment
with the party has also grown at a
narrow rate over this time, rising
from 16 percent to 19 percent.
In comparison to millennials on
a national level, University students
identify less strongly with the
Republican Party, instead spreading
their support amongst third parties
or identifying as independents. Pew
Research found that voters aged 18
to 33 tilt Democratic 51 percent of
the time and Republican 35 percent
of the time.
As well, University students
are also more civically engaged
during elections than national data
indicates the average student is.
In particular for the 2016 election,
student and residential turnout in
Ann Arbor was exceptionally high
compared to the national 2016
average.
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wedesday, November 9, 2016
Many student Republicans celebrate, but GOP rhetoric sparks concern for others
LYDIA MURRAY
Daily Staff Reporter
CAITLIN REEDY
Daily Staff Reporter
279
Electoral Votes
218
Electoral Votes
48%
Popular Vote
47%
Popular Vote
In Michigan Daily polls, student voters on campus
are more liberal, engaged than average milllennial
Students find fear in unexpected Trump victory
“We are
exuberant to see
the end of 8 years
of Obama.”
Results as of 3:00 a.m.
See ELECTION, Page 3A
See MICHIGAN, Page 3A
ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily