Two Weeks and Counting

WRITTEN BY: GINO AMATO

With almost two weeks left until Election Day, the race for the presidency is rounding the final bend before the home stretch. Last Wednesday, the third and final presidential debate took place. This was the last time that the American public would get the chance to hear Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump share their plans for running the country. At this point, we are posed with the question of whether or not either candidate has the appeal needed to win on November 8.

According to RealClearPolitics, Clinton leads Trump by six percentage points. In order for Trump to start taking back voters, he needs to start attracting more women and undecided voters. Ever since the video surfaced with Trump saying atrocious things about women, Clinton has taken a substantial lead in the polls. In order for Trump to bring the poll numbers down to the margin of error, he needs to announce his plans for women issues. From paid maternal leave to childcare, these are all issues in which Clinton has a clear lead. By unveiling policies on these issues, Trump could gain votes from women voters as well as millennials.

Another major concern for the Trump campaign comes in Arizona and Utah. Historically, these two states have both voted Republican, but in this election it appears the Democrats might take both. In Utah, independent candidate Evan McMullin is tied with Clinton in second with 25%, compared to Trump’s 30%. In Arizona, Clinton has taken a narrow 0.02% lead. If Trump were to lose Arizona and Utah, it would be difficult for him to make up those 17 electoral votes.

Another observation I’ve made is that the millennial vote has become a critical voting bloc. Clinton is not winning over millennials the way that Obama did in his last two campaigns.

For the first time this election season, Trump has had to outspend Clinton on advertisements and campaigning. During the debates, Clinton was able to force Trump to acknowledge the allegations against him. With almost two weeks left until Election Day, anything is still possible, especially in an election year marred with scandal.

Featured Image Courtesy: Procon.org