Welcome to NPR's Election Center
Highlights from Washington Insider Event
As of today, the 2024 election season is underway. Five candidates from the two major political parties spoke at today's Washington Insider event, seeking the support of several interest groups as well as the party committees.
The first speaker of the event was the incumbent Democrat, President John Boden. He stressed that he "wasn't done" with what he started in his first term, as well as the legislation he passed, such as the Inflation Reduction Act as well as the Safe Communities Act, aiming to keep communities safe from gun violence. Boden also argued for codifying Roe V. Wade and creating universal preschool and community college. Lastly, Boden stated that Rep. Ortiz, the other Democratic candidate, is too far to the left to win the Democratic nomination and defeat the Republican candidate in the general election.
The second speaker of the event was Representative Aliyah Ortiz, a Democrat from New York. A focus point of her speech was working conditions and unions, stating that she grew up in a working class household and asserted that she would defend unions. Ortiz was not hesitant to criticize Boden, stating that his old age is a disadvantage and that highly wealthy Democrats are not representative of the American people. Ortiz also stressed that she would defend women's rights, the environment, migrants, and minority rights. However, she did not specify how she would do so.
The first Republican candidate to speak was Florida Governor Johnny LeSanta. A major topic he discussed was education and family's rights in their children's educations. He stated he would want to bring the policies he enacted in Florida, such as banning books deemed "inappropriate" from school libraries, to the rest of the country. LeSanta criticized the other candidates, calling Trumbell an insurrcectionist and election denier, while calling President Boden sleepy and controlled by the woke mob. He also emphasized his policy on immigration, stating he would secure the border. LeSanta also pushed against COVID-19 policies and the vaccine. Notbaly absent from his speech were the topics of unions, climate change, and abortion rights.
The second Republican candidate to speak was Nicole Scott, the former UN ambassador under former President Trumbell's administration. She supported the ideal of individualism and "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps", citing her immigrant parents founding a business that she began accounting for at thirteen. Scott made her anti-tax views clear, stating that the government should provide tax cuts to small businesses. She continued on the subject of finance, claiming that Boden and Trumbell are both responsible for increasing the national debt, especially Boden. Another key issue for her is term limits, advocating for them and mental capacity tests for elected officials. Scott lastly acknowledged climate change and stated that something needed to be done, but did not elaborate. Issues Scott did not address in her speech included abortion rights and unions.
To close the event, former President Ronald Trumbell took the stage. He reaffirned his support for the National Rife Association and the Second Amendment. Regarding his recent legal difficulties, he claimed he was not being arrested and the Democrats had set him up. He also claimed Gov. LeSanta was responsible for setting him up, since he allowed Trumbell's Florida home in Mar-A-Lago to be searched. Trumbell expressed his support for blue collar workers and wanting to keep jobs in America. On the issue of COVID-19, Trumbell claimed China had "exported the virus" to the United States. He also referred to many media outlets, including NPR, as "fake news". The issues of climate change and Roe V. Wade were absent from his address.
Initial Race Analysis
The presidential election has been off to a swift start. As election day approaches, voters are looking to each candidate to identify their strengths.
Incumbent John Boden has one of the most important advantages in politics, name recognition. President Boden has held public office since 1972. He has been a household name in U.S. politics for over twenty years, and can sway moderates and independents with his experience. However, one of his weaknesses is his age. If elected in 2024, he would be 82 years old when sworn in. Due to his age, some Democrats don't want him to run again since it could easily be a liability.
One of the strengths of Representative Ortiz, the other Democrat in the primary, is her support from the growing base of young Democratic voters as well as her media presence. Many younger voters agree with her policy ideas, such as the "Green New Deal" and Medicare for all. Despite this, one of Ortiz's weaknesses is her further-left politics compared to Boden. Within her own party, some view her policies as too extreme, which may cost her the vote. If she were to be the general election candidate, earning votes from Independents and moderate Republicans would be an uphill battle.
Former President Ronald Trumbell, a Republican, has been able to amass unwavering support from members of his party, in part due to his knowledge on how to capture media attention. His poll numbers have continued to rise despite his indictments. However, Trumbell is losing support from moderates who have turned on him after his indictments for plotting to overturn the 2020 election.
The Florida Governor Johnny LeSanta has proven his ability to lead in Florida and his high priority for the rule of law, which may sway Trumbell supporters that are rethinking who to support on the heels of Trumbell's indictments. However, LeSanta may struggle to earn critical support from moderate Republicans and Independents due to his further conservative views.
Nicki Scott has the strenth of relatibilty, coming from a working-class immigrant family. She can easily earn the support of moderate Republicans and Independents, as she has the most moderate views of the Republican candidate. However, she may struggle to gain support from conservative Republicans because some may view her as unfit for the Presidency.
The primary election has concluded, with the Democratic party choosing incumbent John Boden as their nominee, while the Republican party nominated Florida governor Johnny LeSanta. With the general election apporaching, the candidates must find a way to secure the votes from the swing states.
The candidates will have to shift their views closer to the center if they want to win in the swing states. Johnny LeSanta's appearance as a solidly conservative candidate during the primaries may negatively impact his ability to win over the votes of moderate Republicans and Independents, especially in increasingly Democratic states, such as Michigan. Shifting to the center will be less of a problem for Boden, since his policies are more moderate. The general election debate in a few days will be televised nationally, allowing for voters to watch the two candidates go head-to-head.