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In Donald Trump many disparate voices of the new right have found a common ground which is not traditionally conservative but is in line with changing social and cultural mores. Trump has been able to get endorsements for his campaign from many such figures and their online popularity and reach may prove to be the difference if he wins this time around
Trump also said that he doesn’t think it’s necessary to remind his supporters to refrain from violence or to accept the election results if he were to lose (Reuters Photo)
New Delhi: The much awaited US Presidential elections between Democratic Party’s Kamala Harris and Republican Party’s Donald Trump was held on Tuesday for 538 electoral college votes distributed across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Votes needed to win the presidency are 270 and the first election results are starting to come. According to present early leads, Donald Trump is leading the race.
While it might be too early to declare a winner, Donald Trump after his previous election’s defeat to Joe Biden has come in strong. With his signature fierce rhetoric on display throughout the campaign, Trump staying true to his character used many innovative campaign methods this time around as well. Prominent among these is the novel use of social media platforms in his campaigns, with many popular online personalities coming together to support his cause. This might eventually be the gamechanger in the favour of Trump and his eventual win if it comes through.
Traditional and non-traditional support
When Donald Trump went on the Joe Rogan podcast on October 26, it sent shockwaves around the world. Just weeks before the election, for a US Presidential candidate to go in for a three hour unscripted conversation with an internet personality was unheard of. But such is often the case with Donald Trump. His current election campaign is full of instances where he has harnessed the power of major internet personalities for his cause. This is a major area where Trump has been way ahead of the Harris camp and this can be a reason for his eventual win.
Trump when he first announced his candidature for the US Presidential elections, attracted immense online support, much of it has been from non-traditional political groups. A good example of this is alt-right groups like the Proud Boys, a group of Trump supporters who, while congregating online, have been coming out in large numbers to support him on the streets as well. This was evident when they played a huge role in the January 6 Capitol attack as a “Donald Trump’s army” after Trump called on them to “stand back and stand by” in a 2020 debate.
According to Advance Democracy, a nonprofit research organisation, in campaigning for the current election as well, at least 30 of Proud Group’s Telegram channels have posted content in his support since October. While many may undermine the reach of such accounts, they today have an outsized influence, especially among young voters who spend a lot of their time online.
A large number of disparate groups who have similar views on issues like abortion, gender rights, anti-woke and anti-LGBTQ views, have come together in support of Trump. While they have not been able to connect with traditional conservative ideals, in Trump they have come to see a common rallying ground. All this has been of huge help to Trump.
The game changer?
Trump has been able to use the support of such groups, both online and offline, while not being explicitly seen officially with them. Standing with Trump has also given such groups some vestige of respectability and credence. The deal has been good for both sides.
Apart from non-official online groups, Trump has also had ample support from well–established figures in the popular media and cultural landscape. Endorsements from figures like Elon Musk and Joe Rogan have gone a long way in making Trump more relatable and approachable this time around. This has been exceedingly helpful for the Trump campaign and such endorsements may be key for him time around.
Figures like Musk and Rogan today are extremely popular. They command a massive online following and are seen as non-partisan. Most consider them divorced from the traditional structure of American politics which is seen by many as obsolete and elitist. Donald Trump’s own political rhetoric is similar and support from similar figures solidifies his relatable image in the public’s mind and gives more weight to his own campaign.
In the end the innovative use of social media platforms, new media, endorsements from non-traditional but popular figures might be the difference between the campaigns of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. In line with Trump’s perineal insistence on being different from the traditional political framework of US politics, heralding a new era based on what currently sells, online personalities propagating their voices on various new media outlets.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone. The opinions and facts in this article do not represent the stand of News9.)
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