The businessman America needs?
Christian Segers, Staff Writer
Image Courtesy of USA Today
The 2016 presidential race has garnered worldwide attention due to the outspoken business mogul who leads the GOP in voter support with every meaningful political poll…Donald Trump.
The Washington Post reports that 7 out of 10 Americans believe that the politicians running the country cannot be trusted. Perhaps this is why out of the 16 declared Republican candidates, the top two, Donald Trump and Ben Carson, have held no prior political office. However, it is these candidates who account for nearly half of all registered Republican voter support. Although Carson has placed well in the polls following the first and second Republican debates, it is Trump who has garnered the retention of the national media spotlight.
Ansley Welchel, Public Relations practitioner and North Greenville University professor, was asked to give some perspective on why Trump has gained the loyalty of a growing populous, regardless of having no prior political experience.
“A lot of the voters are seeing his experience in the business world as a positive thing and being able to tie that somehow to government is a positive,” Welchel said.
Trump, the chairman and chief executive officer of the Trump Organization, is a third generation business magnate whose holdings span from Las Vegas casinos to golf resorts in the United Kingdom. A self-proclaimed genius who has successfully stared in and directed the number one TV show, The Apprentice, and its spin off, The Celebrity Apprentice, has continued to effectively maintain his organization’s marketplace relevance, while increasing his celebrity appeal. This celebrity appeal has contributed to the staggering influx of viewers for the Republican debates.
“I think he is very entertaining and very interesting to watch in the debates and I think we have see from a media standpoint that the debates have gotten better ratings than they have in years past,” Welchel said.
Upon declaring his presidential bid on June 16, 2015, it was believed by numerous political critics that Trump would fade into obscurity as the election season rolled on. But by the tail end of September, Trump has already been declared the winner of both Republican debates and seen his lead widen to as far as 33 percent of all registered Republican voters, according to NBC.
The biggest reason for this overwhelming amount of support is the fact that Trump will not bend to anyone. He stands resolute in his principles and refuses to waiver in his campaign. His slogan is stated: “make America great again.”
Trump has been quick to cut ties with business partners like the Kosch brothers, who would eagerly fund his campaign, but in exchange would ask for political favors. Due to Trump’s accumulated wealth, he can continue his campaign without large donors, such as the Koch brothers, who would seek to gain his ear.
“It makes for a good election to have someone like that in the running to draw interest and to get people interested in the entire election process as a whole,” Welchel said.
Trump has gone on the record citing an anti-abortion stance, while promising to strengthen our military and destroy ISIS, which has continued its slaughtering of Christians. His policies on marriage also reflect that of a Christian standpoint.
