Live Updates on the 2020 Election

On the day before the election, both President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are hoping for unprecedented voter turnout. So far we have already seen early voting reach two thirds the level of total votes cast in 2016, which already is a great sign for participation in this year’s election. According to FiveThirtyEight’s 2020 Election tracker, an interactive site showing predictions by election analysts, Joe Biden is leading going into November 3rd with an 89 out of 100 chance of winning, whereas Donald Trump has a 10 out of 100 chance. On November 3rd and the days following, many people will have their eyes on what will likely be some of the most important swing states: Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, and Ohio. These four states account for a total of 105 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the electoral college. When these states are called it is likely we will have a sound idea of who will emerge victorious in the 2020 Election.

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Follow along with The Hilltopper’s Coordinator of Off-Campus News, Bryan Lavoie, and Coordinator of On-Campus News, Meghan Query, as they provide live reporting on the results as they come in

Live Updates:

1:35pm 11/3:

Texas, which hasn’t voted blue in a presidential election since voting for Carter in 1976, is listed as a tossup this year, with Biden polling just 1.5% behind Trump according to FiveThirtyEight. Texas has already had record voter turnout this election, with more people voting early than total voters in 2016. More democrats are voting early than republicans this year, so Texas is definitely a state to keep an eye on over the next couple of days, as it will likely play a significant role as a battleground in this election.

Ohio is also an important battleground this year, with Trump polling just 0.6% ahead of Joe Biden. No republican has ever won the presidency without winning Ohio, so both candidates are hopeful that they will take Ohio’s 18 electoral votes.

Pennsylvania is arguably the most important battleground state in this election. Should Biden take Pennsylvania, as polls predict, FiveThirtyEight expects that his chances of winning go from 89/100 to 99/100. Should Trump take the state, as he did by 1.6% in 2016, his chances of winning a second term go from 10/100 to 60/100. Pennsylvania is expected to play a significant role this year, and may even be the deciding state in this election.

Politico has listed Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin as the deciding states in this election. These 8 states hold 127 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the electoral college, and all 8 states are polling in favor of Joe Biden. All of these, except for Minnesota (which has voted exclusively for democratic candidates since 1976), voted for Trump in 2016. 

Both candidates are hoping to take these crucial states in the electoral college this year. Keep an eye out for more updates on these battleground states as results start to come in from each of them later tonight, and as votes are counted over the next several days.

5:35pm 11/3:

Just hours before the first polls are set to close, several states are reporting instances of voters receiving suspicious robocalls spreading false information about voting. Some calls told voters to “stay home, and stay safe” while others attempted to convince voters to vote tomorrow due to long lines at the polls. In recent weeks, other messages have been sent to voters from “Proud Boys” email addresses, attempting to intimidate voters into voting for Trump. Investigation into these issues are ongoing, and state officials are very concerned by these attempts at interfering in the election process this year. It is unclear whether any of these issues have impacted voter turnout, as several states are on track to see record turnout this year.

6:10pm 11/3:

Be very wary of exit polls. As always take these polls with a grain of salt. With a record breaking number of mail in votes being tabulated throughout tonight and deeply into tomorrow morning, expect exit polls to swing in favor of Donald Trump as many in person voters today will be voting his way and many of the mail in votes will go to the former Vice President. Pay closer attention to specific precincts and counties reporting rather than any exit polls. The Hilltopper will be providing updates on the confirmed results from precincts rather than these exit polls.

8:30pm 11/3

Oklahoma, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee are going to Trump

Vermont, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, and D.C. are going to Biden

Biden leads 44-42

9:00pm 11/3:

Arkansas is projected Trump

New York is projected for Biden

Biden leads 73-48

9:20pm 11/3:

Trump takes South Dakota

Biden takes Connecticut

Biden leads 80-51

9:25pm 11/3:

Trump takes North Dakota and Alabama

Biden takes Colorado

89-63 for Biden

9:35pm 11/3:

An Update on Ohio

A couple of hours into reporting, Biden holds a lead in the Electoral College with 89 electoral votes to Trump’s 63, and all eyes are on Ohio. In our first update, we mentioned that no republican has ever taken the presidency without winning Ohio. Prior to today, Trump was polling just ahead of Biden, and was counting on taking the state. According to FiveThirtyEight, without winning Ohio, Trump has a <1/100 chance of winning a second term. With 59% of the vote counted, Biden is in the lead by 3%, or about 130,000 votes. Trump was undoubtedly counting on taking Ohio’s 18 electoral votes in his reelection campaign. Tensions are high, as expected, this election night, and there is no sign of that changing anytime soon.

10:30pm 11/3:

Louisiana and South Carolina go to Trump

New Hampshire goes to Biden

Biden leads 93-80

10:40pm 11/3:

Trump is projected to take Utah, Kansas, and Nebraska-at-Large

Trump leads 95-93

10:45pm 11/3:

Trump takes Missouri

Biden takes Illinois

Biden leads 113-105

11:00pm 11/3:

Biden takes California, Oregon, and Washington

Trump takes Wyoming and Mississippi

Biden leads 187-114

11:50pm 11/3:

Trump wins Idaho

Biden wins New Mexico

Biden leads 192-118

12:05am 11/4:

Trump takes Ohio

Biden takes Virginia

Biden leads 205-136

12:45am 11/4:

Trump takes Florida

Biden leads 205-165

1:45am 11/4:

Trump takes Iowa, Texas, and Montana

Biden takes Rhode Island and Minnesota

Biden maintains his lead, 220-213

2:50am 11/4:

The Electoral College has not shifted significantly in either direction, but President Trump has declared victory in his reelection campaign from the White House. This election is far from over, with several states not expecting to declare a winner until later in the week, possibly as late as Friday.

Biden takes one more electoral vote in Maine. Maine’s other 3 votes remain undecided.

Biden holds his lead 221-213

5:30am 11/4:

As we continue to wait for results in several key states, Biden takes Hawaii

Biden leads 225-213

6:25am 11/4:

Vote totals continue to come in, as officials in several states return to counting early this morning. There are still many votes to be counted, and results will likely continue to come in throughout the day.

7:55am 11/4:

As the day continues, the divide between the two candidates is narrowing in several key states. Michigan is expecting to have a full report at some point today, but it is unclear when we will get results in some other states.

Biden continues to lead, 225-213

12:15pm 11/4:

Biden gains two more electoral votes from Maine and keeps his lead

227-213

2:30pm 11/4:

Biden takes Wisconsin

He leads 237-213

4:19pm 11/4:

Michigan called for Biden

Biden’s lead increases, 253-213

9:05pm 11/4:

About 24 hours after most polls closed, election officials have not finished counting ballots in several key states. Going into the second night of counting ballots, Biden holds the lead in the Electoral College, as well as in Nevada and Arizona, both of which have not yet been called by ABC News. Trump leads in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alaska, but his lead has been narrowing throughout the day. Results are expected to continue coming in throughout the night and into tomorrow, and some states are not expected to have full results until Friday.

Biden leads in the Electoral College, 253-214 after Trump picked up one vote from Maine earlier today.

12:30pm 11/7:

After several days of counting votes, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris become President-Elect and Vice President-Elect, winning 290 votes of the 270 needed to win the Electoral College. Alaska, Georgia, and North Carolina have not been officially called yet, with President Trump in the lead in Alaska and North Carolina, and Joe Biden in the lead in Georgia.

Biden wins, 290-214. 34 electoral votes remain.

Trump Makes a Case for Law and Order at the R.N.C.

With the Republican National Convention concluded, the Trump Campaign’s message has become clear; Trump will bring law and order to a country that is riddled with crime and violence.

The convention was a departure from several norms of the past, including a stronger focus on the opposing candidate. The GOP stated they did not have a new platform, but rather that they continue to support the President’s platform from 2016. The convention was staged at the White House South Lawn and numerous speakers were White House staffers. Critics have said this convention has clearly violated the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act is an act that prevents civil service employees from engaging in political campaign activities with the exception of the President and Vice President. White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows responded to these criticisms with “Nobody outside of the Beltway really cares.”

Frankly, Meadows is right. Few voters actually care about the President using the White House as a staging ground for the convention. To the majority of Americans, the Hatch Act is completely meaningless.  What most people will actually see is an extravagant pageant with the President promising Americans that he will bring safety and security to their home.

Several speakers in the R.N.C. presented Trump as a keeper of peace. Vice President Mike Pence told viewers they “will not be safe in Joe Biden’s America”. The Vice President along with several other speakers emphasized to viewers that they “will always stand with those who stand on the thin blue line”. There were several claims that Joe Biden would defund the police, a claim that has been fact-checked as false and misleading by numerous sources already.

The final night of the convention presented a strong case for President Trump. Ann Marie Dorn, the widow of a retired St. Louis Police Captain David Dorn spoke at the R.N.C. about her husbands death, who was shot and killed during a violent protest in St. Louis, Missouri.  In a heartbreaking and powerful speech, Ann Dorn describes the horror of the night her husband died. “They shot and killed David in cold blood” she said, “and then livestreamed his execution and his last moments”. Compared to the rest of the speakers, Ann Dorn proved herself to be one of the most convincing speakers to sway voters for the incumbent president.

However, David Dorn’s daughters were against his widow speaking at the R.N.C. They have said Dorn was not a Trump supporter and would not have wanted his death to be used to help Trump.

Trump’s personal attorney and former New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani also spoke on night four of the R.N.C., delivering an aggressive speech making a case that Joe Biden is “a Trojan horse with Bernie, AOC, Pelosi, Black Lives Matter, and his party’s entire left wing just waiting to execute their pro-criminal, anti-police socialist policies.”

As the President took the stand and accepted the nomination, he unleashed a barrage of accusations and attacks on Joe Biden and Democrats. He called Biden “the destroyer of America’s greatness”. If Joe Biden were elected, Trump said “China would own our country”.

The President also repeated his common claim that he has “done more for the African-American community than any president since Abraham Lincoln.”

The convention showcased the GOP’s concern of losing its moderate white voters. Speakers at the convention were noticeably diverse. A large amount of those speakers were African Americans. Interestingly enough, it appeared the GOP was not interested in appealing to Hispanics and Asian Americans, who vote for them in higher numbers than African Americans. Instead, the GOP was attempting to reassure moderate white voters that they were voting for the right side and avoided trying to sway undecided Black voters to vote with them.

Trump continued his blaming of Democrats for the violence and crime in America.

“In the strongest possible terms, the Republican Party condemns the rioting, looting, arson, and violence we have seen in Democrat-run cities all, like Kenosha, Minneapolis, Portland, Chicago, and New York, and many others, Democrat-run,” Trump said, referring to protests that sparked over police brutality and racism in the United States.

Whether or not Trump’s message of law and order is working has yet to be clearly seen. The Morning Consult conducted two polls at the start and end of the R.N.C. Prior to the convention, Biden led Trump 52% to 42%. Following the convention, Trump narrowed the lead, reducing Biden’s advantage to four points, with Biden at 50% and Trump at 44%

The End of Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders

Senator Bernie Sanders officially ended his second campaign for the White House on the evening of April 8 after a long and somewhat successful run. For a short period, he was the Democratic frontrunner, but he fell short in acquiring the confidence and vote of the mainstream Democratic party as he did in the 2016 campaign. This makes former Vice President Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee for the 2020 presidential election. While the rest of the nation was focused on the coronavirus pandemic, as the only major candidate still in the race, Biden claimed major victories in the Florida, Arizona and Illinois primaries. 

Sanders can, however, claim an ideological victory. Over the course of two moderately successful presidential bids, he expanded the debate over universal healthcare and the disproportionate wealth gap in the United States. In a message to his supporters while announcing the end of his campaign he claimed that “Together we have transformed American consciousness as to what kind of nation we can become and have taken this country a major step forward in the never-ending struggle for economic justice, social justice, racial justice, and environmental justice.”

Early in the election cycle, Sanders seemed to be the perceived leader and frontrunner among the candidates. In the first three primary states – Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada – Sanders won bigger and bigger popular vote majorities and had the most delegates leaving these three contests. However, this frontrunner status was short-lived.  Biden surged in South Carolina, defeating Sanders by nearly 30 points, and other contenders, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar dropped out and endorsed the Vice President. This effectively left Sanders in the dust on Super Tuesday where Biden swept and carried a large, but not unsurpassable delegate victory.

Sanders’ biggest undoing in the late stages of the primary was the rapid mainstream consolidation around Biden after his rebound in South Carolina. Some would blame Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the other staunch progressive in the race who dropped out after Super Tuesday, but polling showed her votes were likely to split between Sanders and Biden regardless.

In some ways, however, Sanders did win the Democratic party’s attention. The public option is now a moderate position on healthcare, and Medicare-for-all is highly popular with Democratic voters and many sitting politicians. His focus on structural inequality and corporate influence is here to stay, especially among the young voters who were so fond of Sanders beginning in 2016.

Sanders can rest easy knowing that he successfully changed both public opinion and the Democratic insiders’ position on healthcare especially. He “wrote the damn bill” on Medicare-for-all, and now a resounding majority of Democratic voters say they support a national health insurance plan that covers everyone. His commitment to that position has pushed the rest of the party to the left.  The question for the left, now that the face of democratic socialism and this new wave of grassroots politics has fallen short of the presidency once again, is: what happens now? There are plenty of young voters who once said they were “Bernie or bust.” Will that remain the case? For the leaders of the Democratic party, they sure hope not if they want any chance to defeat incumbent President Donald Trump in November.

Soon after his announcement to end his bid for the presidency, Sanders went on to endorse Joe Biden for president. In his statement, he exclaimed that “Today, I am asking all Americans — I’m asking every Democrat; I’m asking every independent; I’m asking a lot of Republicans — to come together in this campaign to support [Biden’s] candidacy, which I endorse, to make certain that we defeat somebody who I believe is the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country.” Bernie Sanders made clear that regardless of the major differences between himself and Joe Biden, that in the end, he believes the most important thing to do is to elect a Democratic president and push Donald Trump out of the White House in 2020. This endorsement comes as somewhat of a surprise to many. In his 2016 campaign, he was reluctant to endorse the Democratic nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she secured the nomination shortly before the national convention. This change is likely rooted in the backlash he received following the 2016 election. His endorsement of Biden is important to many as it is a push for those who refused to support the democratic nominee in 2016 unless it was Sanders to move to a reconciled party to defeat Donald Trump.

This week we may have seen the end for Bernie Sanders, the presidential candidate, but it may not yet be the end of his national political movement that has caused a massive following and an even larger generation of political activists.

Moderates and Progressives Separate Themselves in the Third Democratic Debate

The third Democratic Presidential Debate came, went, and left many faced with uncertainty on the political battlefield. The first party-sanctioned event to have only one night of debates saw ten candidates battle for their messages to be heard, and a possible soundbite or two to make it to the Twitter-sphere following the event. However, little happened that was “expected”, which arguably led to the most interesting debate yet.

The lesser-known candidates proved themselves exceptionally well with multiple high profile interactions that are sure to put ink to parchment for the Saturday paper. Julián Castro, HUD Secretary under the Obama Administration, took multiple stabs at frontrunner Joe Biden. First, when Biden was speaking about medicare and whether it should be a buy-in option or automatic, he seemed to consistently go back on his word. Castro saw a flaw in Biden’s statement and asked the former Vice President if he “forget what [he] said two minutes ago?” Castro, not finished with his attempted bash at Biden, pointed out the hypocritical nature of Biden’s references to his work under former President Barack Obama. In an attempt to attach himself to Obama, he claims he was a large part of “that administration”. However, he eventually did go back and say he acted solely as the Vice-President and had no say on certain issues.

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang, an outsider candidate who tailors well towards millennials and internet culture, was much more prominent in this debate than any prior. He managed to join in the conversation (amounting to only a few minutes throughout the debate), each time seeing much applause from the audience. At this event, he announced that he would be running a contest to prove the value of his “Freedom Dividend”, Yang’s take on a Universal Basic Income. He claimed that 10 campaign donors who donate in the coming days will be chosen to receive $1,000 every month until the election. This truly riled up the crowd and got the newsrooms buzzing.

Some other interesting comments also took place in this rowdy arena. Booker, when commenting on foreign affairs, noted that he found Justin Trudeau’s hair intimidating. Pete Buttigieg, the Mayor from Indiana, took a stronger anti-war stance on Afghanistan and made a campaign promise to require congressional approval for all military action. Harris made a soundbite for the century, asserting that “Trump’s been tweeting out ammunition.” As no debate is free of them, a group of protesters interrupted Biden during his closing statement.

Mitchell Young (2023), when asked what his initial thoughts about the debate were, said that there is a “clear divide between the left and more moderate democrats”. Continuing on the party cleavage, he noted that “Booker and Castro did a much better job”. While both candidates are not “top tier” candidates, both gained valuable air time. Again, while managing to show himself to the cameras, Young brought bad press with his attacks against Biden.

Christopher Demarkey (2023) expressed similar points declaring that “Booker, Castro, and Biden had [sic] great nights”. This can be further extrapolated when examining the first round of mudslinging with healthcare where the “radical left got called out on healthcare”, and that “Bernie and Elizabeth Warren were ganged up against”. Biden and Sanders were seen at multiple points during the healthcare question outright yelling at each other on live TV, with Biden claiming Sander’s plan for Medicare For All is not economically sound.

The debate, while over, will see hours upon hours of continuous usage until the next. Until then, the soundbites of the candidates will haunt them, or greet them, as each one of them turns on the news to see their poll numbers on the rise, or on the decline. The October Debate, scheduled for the 15th and 16th in Ohio, will see the same debate requirements as that for September.

CNN Hosts Historic Town Hall at Saint Anselm

Manchester – Five major candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination gathered in the Dana Center Monday night for a CNN special event. The event was sponsored by the Harvard Institute of Politics and the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. The participants in Monday night’s town halls included Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN). Each of the candidates was given one hour to answer questions from young voters planning to participate in their states Democratic primary, and present their plan for new American leadership. Healthcare, education, and climate change dominated the conversation as candidates fielded questions about their commitments to provide a better standard of living for Americans.

The evening began with Senator Amy Klobuchar’s town hall moderated by Chris Cuomo. A three-term senator from the state of Minnesota, Klobuchar was one of the most experienced speakers of the night and referred frequently to her experience as a county attorney. She distinguished herself as one of the most moderate candidates of a  crowded field of over fifteen major candidates by refusing to endorse the notion of tuition-free college as well as Senator Sanders “Medicare for All” legislation. She declared herself a “realist” who did not support radical and impractical policies but joined each of the other candidates in advocating for the Green New Deal; a measure Republicans call extreme and unrealistic. She also discussed the need to reform the criminal justice system and suggested increased use of drug courts to curb repeat drug offenses rather than lengthy prison terms. Klobuchar, when asked whether or not she would support impeachment for president Trump, she avoided the question and referred instead to the Senate’s role in the impeachment process as jurors and not prosecutors.

The second town hall with Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts featured a very similar question regarding impeachment, to which the Senator responded by saying “There is no political inconvenience when it comes to the Constitution of the United States.” Warren argued that congressional leaders have a civic duty to hold the President accountable and Congress should set politics aside to do what’s right. Warren also proved herself to be an impactful candidate with her proposal to alleviate student debt for millions of Americans and make higher education tuition-free. Warren also advocated for sweeping economic reforms including her “ultra-millionaire tax” which would fund the majority of her initiatives. She cited the reluctance of lawmakers to reform the American economic system because “when your ears are stuffed with money it’s hard to hear.” Senator Warren’s recollection of her mission during her Senate campaign to quite simply make an impact and inspire young women to be leaders also resonated with the audience. She said that during events and parades she would seek out young girls and women, kneel down and say to them “Hello, I’m Elizabeth and I’m running for Senate because that’s what girls do.” Overall, Warren set the tone for the night as each of the following candidates echoed her sentiments about the need to support middle and working-class Americans and provide more educational opportunities for students.

Senator Bernie Sanders followed Warren with an equally fiery rendition of his main talking points: economic reform, Medicare for all, and climate justice. As one of the most anticipated candidates of the night, Sanders received resounding praise when he said: “The United States is a climate leader, but we’re leading in the wrong direction.” However, audience members and political pundits criticized Sanders’ comments regarding voting rights for incarcerated Americans. When asked whether or not Sanders believed that perpetrators of sexual assault or the Boston Marathon Bomber should receive the right to vote, he gave a response which left some in the audience upset. He said that all Americans deserve the right to vote, and it is important to the future of our democracy that we protect the ability to participate in society. Following the event Bentley Warren, a Saint Anselm Sophomore, commented on Sanders remarks by saying “Sanders surprisingly proposed that incarcerated individuals deserve the right to vote while imprisoned, including sex offenders and domestic terrorists, which I believe was a rather unpopular move on his part and will become an attacking point for opponents like Pete Buttigieg.” He was right; when asked if he agreed with Sanders later on in the night, Buttigieg criticized the move and argued that while in prison felons should not be allowed to vote, but upon their reintroduction to society, their rights should be restored.

Sander’s also pushed back on Senator Warren’s claim that the House should move to impeach President Trump. Sanders was more focused on a bigger picture; “If for the next year all the Congress is talking about is ‘Trump, Trump, Trump,’ and ‘Mueller, Mueller, Mueller’ and we’re not talking about health care and raising the minimum wage to a living wage and we’re not talking about climate change and sexism and racism and homophobia and the issues that concern ordinary Americans — I worry that works to Trump’s advantage.”

Senator Kamala Harris of California highlighted the opposition of Republican congressional leaders and the low likelihood that impeachment would pass in the Senate. She said that people needed to be “realistic about what might be the end result. But that doesn’t mean the process shouldn’t take place.” Harris’ second most notable answer came when asked whether or not she supported monetary reparations for African Americans. She avoided answering the question directly, as did Senator Sanders, but both candidates said they would support Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s bill to study the effects of reparations. Audience members noticed a trend in Harris’ answers to their questions when she began to repeat the phrase “I think that’s a conversation we need to have.” Though she did avoid some questions, Harris’ managed to outline a plan for her presidency focusing mostly on Medicare, climate and criminal justice reform.

A town hall with Mayor of South Bend Indiana Pete Buttigieg moderated by Anderson Cooper concluded the night. Buttigieg was unique in many respects among the night’s candidates and the audience took notice. “It was clear that Mayor Pete Buttigieg stood out as the crowd favorite for his direct and simple answers,” said Chris Millet a Freshman at Saint Anselm “[he] did not sound like a politician as he did not use the same rhetoric as the other four candidates did.” When asked whether or not he believed President Trump should be impeached after reading the Mueller report he stated plainly, “I think it’s pretty clear he deserves impeachment.” Moderator Anderson Cooper pointed out Buttigieg’s lack of a clear plan and platform. Mayor Buttigieg responded by saying that he believed he’d made his positions clear on a variety of topics, and the absence of a platform section on his website did not make him a candidate who lacked beliefs.

This event provided Saint Anselm students with a unique opportunity to engage with candidates in a discussion of the issues important to young Americans. Candidates continuously labeled young voters as one of the most progressive, passionate, and politically active generations in recent history. Junior Abby Roden said, “Youth voices are so often overshadowed or underestimated, it was nice to see my generations questions at the forefront of discussions for a change.” Students walked away from the five-hour event with a better understanding of the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination, and a stronger appreciation for the democratic process. Saint Anselm has created a standing tradition of being a very politically active campus, and students should be proud of such a tradition.

No Rest for the Hilltop: Candidates Keep Coming

Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) signing eggs and two posters for Politics & Eggs in the conference room of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics before the event. (Photo from @JKazadi)

It’s no surprise to Saint Anselm students that campus is a hotbed for political activity. Every president since Dwight Eisenhower has been to the hilltop. The whirlwind is getting started a bit early, though. Presidents’ Day Weekend and the following days brought two prominent candidates to campus and even more to the state.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) returned to New Hampshire, most notably for an event at her alma mater, Dartmouth College. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN) was in Raymond, New Hampshire on Saturday to meet voters. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), too, was in the state, bringing her message to the first-in-the-nation primary state.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) made his Granite State debut this weekend, spending multiple days in the state. He held a town hall event in Portsmouth that attracted around 500 people. A house party in Manchester brought in 350 people. Events in Rochester and Conway brought in about 200 each. It was a strong beginning to the senator’s New Hampshire effort.

Most notably, for Saint Anselm students, were two major events on campus. One was the CNN Town Hall with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), which was held in the Dana Center on Monday night. That event was followed by a Politics & Eggs event at the Institute of Politics with Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), widely considered a front runner in the race.

Chairwoman of the Kevin B. Harrington Student Ambassador Program Julianne Plourde ‘20 shared her thoughts on the busy presidential campaign. She was at both the CNN Town Hall and the Politics & Eggs event. “Being able to attend the CNN Town Hall for Senator Klobuchar gave a preview into what the next year is going to be like on campus. It’s exciting knowing that having presidential candidates and national news networks walking around campus will be the usual.” The experience, she explained, is pretty unique to Saint Anselm. “No other school around is able to give their students these experiences on such a regular basis.”

During the town hall, Klobuchar answered questions, including one from Olivia Teixeira ‘20, the President of the New Hampshire College Democrats. Teixeira opened-up about what it was like to be on camera and ask the senator a question: “Asking a question for CNN was a great experience. Despite rumors that the questions were staged, that is not the case. They made sure we asked genuine questions that we submitted beforehand and were very accepting of all the questions we submitted.”

She asked the Minnesota senator to share her thoughts about gun safety legislation. The senator’s response left an impression on Teixeira, she said. “I appreciated Amy’s genuine emotion when responding to my question and the answer she gave was a very shared Democratic belief.” Overall, Teixeira said she was more likely to vote for Klobuchar because of how she did at the town hall.

Grace D’Antuono ‘19 also attended the CNN Town Hall. She said that while she’s not considering voting for Klobuchar, she went to “learn more and to be a part of the beginning of the 2020 campaign here on campus.” She was impressed by the senator’s answer to Teixeira’s question, noting that Klobuchar “understands recreational gun use and wants to protect that while still promoting screening for background checks and banning assault rifles.”

The morning after Senator Klobuchar’s town hall, Senator Harris was at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics for a Politics & Eggs event. Harris’ stop came after a town hall event in Portsmouth where many in line had to be turned away because there wasn’t enough capacity in the venue.

Harris addressed affiliates and members of the New England Council as well as students of Saint Anselm College before taking questions. Her remarks centered on three issues: middle-class tax relief, education reform, and climate change. She promised that, as a candidate for president, she would “speak truths” on the trail and be honest with the American people.

She opened her speech by addressing questions that she would not seriously contest the New Hampshire primary. Harris denied these rumors, saying she plans on competing in New Hampshire and that she intends to do “very well” in the nation’s first primary.

Emily Burns ‘22 was in the audience on Tuesday. She said she was “really excited” to see Harris come to the hilltop. Burns thought the senator “spoke incredibly eloquently” and said she seemed “very presidential.”

Despite her glowing review of Harris’ performance, Burns was unsure that she would support the candidate down the road. “I’m not totally sure yet,” she said when asked if she was leaning towards supporting the senator from California. “One of my big concerns is prison reform and while she spoke about that, she has a kind of questionable past in that area,” Burns explained.

The controversy over Harris’ past as a prosecutor has been a major factor in the race so far, with some questioning whether Harris’ commitment to criminal justice reform can be genuine given her past. For her part, the candidate embraced her record during her speech at Politics & Eggs, talking about how she was inspired to become a prosecutor by some lawyers of the Civil Rights Movement, including Thurgood Marshall.

In a recent poll conducted by Saint Anselm College, Harris was viewed the third-most favorably by New Hampshire voters. She only trailed former Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE) and Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT). Sanders announced a presidential campaign on Tuesday.

Bloomberg, Gillibrand Meet Granite Staters

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (D-NY) speaks at Saint Anselm on Tuesday. (Photo from Bloomberg’s Flickr account)

The 2020 presidential election is in full swing. This week was a busy one for prospective candidates. On Tuesday, Michael Bloomberg (D-NY), traveled to the hilltop for a Bookmark Series event, hosted by the New Hampshire Institute of Politics in conjunction with the New England Council. Bloomberg spoke about his 2017 book Climate of Hope and outlined his thoughts on global climate change.

After first meeting with Saint Anselm students and taking a photo, Bloomberg addressed a packed auditorium. The former New York City mayor admitted he is actively considering a presidential campaign. He told WMUR that he expects his decision to be made by the end of February.

In his remarks Tuesday, Bloomberg eschewed the glowing rhetoric of Kamala Harris’ Oakland announcement and instead spent his time proving his knowledge of climate change. During the question and answer portion, the potential candidate also spoke to a need to greater fund the arts.

His tour of New Hampshire continued beyond Saint Anselm. He went to Nashua, Dover, and Concord before heading home to New York.

There was a multitude of Saint Anselm students in the audience on Tuesday. One of them, Jackson Lawler-Sidell ’22, is a Republican voter who seemed to appreciate what Bloomberg had to say, specifically mentioning how Bloomberg addressed the future of the coal industry. “With the recent surge in the elimination of coal plants, it’s reassuring to see that someone is looking out for the families involved in the coal industry,” he said.

Lawler-Sidell continued, “Switching from coal to other cleaner energy solutions is something that needs to happen if we want to save our planet, but there needs to be a system in place to provide new jobs for families in the coal industry.”

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) addresses an audience of nearly 150 people at Stark Brewing Company on Friday. (Photo by Nick Fulchino ’19)

Another New Yorker, Kirsten Gillibrand, was in Manchester on Friday at Stark Brewing Company. After grabbing a beer, Gillibrand addressed a standing-room-only crowd. In her remarks, Gillibrand spoke of her desire to fight for America’s children. She took on President Trump directly, on issues ranging from immigration to divisive rhetoric. She promised voters she was up to the task of taking on Trump and leading the nation, “I promise you I have never backed down from a fight. It does not matter who I am fighting against it is who I am fighting for.”

During the question and answer segment, Gillibrand touted her record of legislative accomplishment. She cited her history of working with conservative Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) on legislation addressing sexual assault. As president, Gillibrand said she would work hard to bring the nation together.

She also addressed her desire to fight for criminal justice reform, pointing to the racism inherent in the current system. Specifically, she mentioned the discrepancies in sentencing for marijuana possession. She said that in New York, African-Americans are more likely to go to jail and face longer sentences than their white counterparts. As part of her plan, Gillibrand will work to decriminalize marijuana and end cash bail. Her promises on criminal justice reform drew loud applause from the room of Democrats.

Among her other proposals, Gillibrand called for publicly-funded elections, a repeal of the Hyde Amendment, and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The senator is still in the exploratory phase of her campaign but intends to roll out more policy as she prepares to formally enter the race.

Saint Anselm student Emily Burns ’22 came away from the event impressed with the senator. “As a New Yorker, it was super exciting to be able to see and meet my senator, but also to be able to hear in person her stances on various issues that are important to me,” she said. Burns continued, “I’m excited to see how her presidential run goes, and I’m excited to support her along the way!”

Kirsten Gillibrand, 2020 Hopeful, Coming to Manchester

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) campaigning in Iowa. (Photo by Nati Harnik, AP)

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who made national headlines when she called on fellow senator Al Franken (D-MN) to resign after he was accused of sexual misconduct, will be in New Hampshire this weekend. Gillibrand is campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination after filing an exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission.

First appointed to the Senate in 2009, after Hillary Clinton’s resignation, Gillibrand has represented the Empire State for ten years. She was instrumental in repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, which prohibited gay and lesbian servicemembers from serving openly in the Armed Forces. She has also gained notoriety for taking on top military leaders over the issue of military sexual assault and harassment. Her legislation to reform the military justice system was unsuccessful, but she was able to get the support of Republican lawmakers like Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rand Paul (R-KY).

Gillibrand has received criticism from the left for previously having more conservative stances when she was a congresswoman from rural New York from 2007-2009. Gillibrand has since apologized for some of her previous beliefs and has said she was wrong.

The New Hampshire Young Democrats are hosting a Pints & Politics event with the presidential hopeful at Stark Brewing Co. on Friday night. After her stop in Manchester, the candidate will head to campaign stops along the Seacoast and in the North Country for the rest of the weekend. You can register for the Pints & Politics event here.