The 2024 Presidential Election has come to an end with Donald Trump elected President, leaving many Americans uncertain of the future. Some Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike remain fearful of another Trump Presidency. However, there are some who are hopeful for the next four years. The University of Maine College Republicans (UMCR) and UMaine College Democrats (UMCD) offered their respective takes on the election win.
“We are obviously pleased with the results,” stated UMaine Republicans Representative Nathaniel Stanley when asked what his thoughts were on the election results.
“We have members of the club who perhaps share more of a dissatisfied opinion of the Republican party. And this is something we sympathize with as well. It’s funny because on the one hand, it was a good election.,” said Stanley. “On the other hand, I can’t answer for all the other members of the club because you have some very different perspectives on what the best result would have been.”
When asked whether the election outcome would influence UMCR goals for this year, Stanley indicated that things are not as poised for radical change as many have been made to believe.
“That’s the irony,” Stanley said. “That’s why I made such a distinction between the club and its members rather than just the party at large. We aren’t really going to change what we are doing because for the most part the wins were on a federal level…There is no change in our Federal representation. The State House and State Senate have also remained democratic… So, we are going to shift our focus towards the sort of activism that isn’t dependent on the wins on a federal level.”
When asked if there was anything he would like to share with UMaine students following the election results, Stanley suggested that perhaps there is not as much reason to panic as some have suggested.
“If you’re concerned about what will happen under this administration, there is some precedent for what was done under Trump’s first administration… While this is of course a different year, a different economic and political situation, it is the same person who got elected president. And in 2016, there was a great deal of concern within the Republican party that Trump would be a very destructive character. And in many ways… many of the extreme fears that people had in 2016 within the conservative movement as well outside of it were not fulfilled,” said Stanley. “So if you’re afraid of Trump, look at what he did in his first term and keep that in perspective.”
Meredyth Waters, president of UMCD also shared her sentiment regarding the recent election and detailed where she believes the Democratic party fell short.
“My response on the national level is [that I’m] sad. Clearly, the Democratic Party needs to do soul searching, particularly with young male college students who aren’t yet receptive to our messaging. But we held our Democratic trifecta in Maine. Holding that trifecta is critical to our spring lobbying efforts,” said Waters. “This session, we will be lobbying for students at every chance. Democrats are more receptive to our needs as young people in this state.”
