By After months of campaigning and anticipation, Americans cast their final votes for the 2024 primary election on Nov. 5, with former President Donald J. Trump reclaiming the White House for a second non-consecutive term.
The announced results brought happiness to Emiliano Muller-Amezcua, an 18-year-old biology major at Long Beach State, who said that the Trump victory will help with inflation, war and support for a divided nation.
Amezcua said that he prioritizes what each candidate can bring to the people.
“When I look at a candidate, I look at what they will bring to the country because right now inflation’s at 21%, and I can’t afford anything,” Amezcua said. “If there was a war, I would need to flee to Mexico. My friends are going to the military, so war is very important to me. Also, we just have a lot of division.”
According to U.S. Labor Department data published on Oct. 10, 2024, the annual inflation rate for the U.S. is 2.4% compared to the previous rate increase of 2.5%.
According to NBC, Amezcua’s sentiments on the current state of the economy reflect a growing trend—a frustration many Americans are still adjusting to. Additionally, 39% of voters said the economy was the most important issue facing the country in 2024, according to the Associated Press.
Diana Del Castillo, a Southern California resident, highlighted the concern many felt the morning after the election and questioned what’s next for her and her family members under a new Donald Trump administration on Nov. 6, at Long Beach State. Photo credit: Christopher Chan
Another student, Diana Del Castillo, a 19-year-old political science major, said the election’s outcome has dire consequences that target specific groups.
“As a child of immigrants and also as a woman who’s queer specifically, I understand the consequences that are going to come with Trump’s re-election,” Castillo said.
While Castillo highlights the issue of immigration, other challenges weigh heavily on her mind.
“Specifically with reproductive rights, gay rights and understanding how this is going to affect other people of color,” Castillo said. “It is very disheartening to see how blatantly hateful and explicitly exclusive all of these policies are.”
Castillo’s concern over the Trump administration’s policies is just one of many worries shared around campus as students process the outcome of the previous night, with fears that past challenges may resurface.
Key focuses of Trump’s upcoming policies include “offering tax breaks for oil, gas and coal industries,” implementing a “mass deportation of undocumented immigrants through expedited removal transportation” and increasing tariffs on foreign countries, according to an article from law firm Holland & Knight.
Noah Ramirez poses with a ‘Let’s Save Lives’ shirt on Nov. 6, after waking up to the news that Donald Trump had won the election late into the night. Ramirez worries about the next four years and what lies ahead for him and his friends. Photo credit: Christopher Chan
Noah Ramirez, an 18-year-old English literature major, said the outcome has left him feeling mixed emotions. He said he is concerned for his loved ones and different communities.
“It was a mixture of anger and disappointment for the country and how the voters let this happen,” Ramirez said. “I fear for a lot of my loved ones. Just in different spaces, of course, like immigration statuses, LGBTQ, knowing that some of my friends have to hide who they truly are.”
In the end, Ramirez recognizes that the next few years will be challenging.
“I could say that I don’t have high hopes. Now, with this being [Trump’s] last time running, he has more power. The only thing we have is the courts; that’s our saving grace. But I’m very, very doubtful about the next four years,” Ramirez said.
Editor’s note: Sentence on the accurate rate of inflation was added for clarity.
