The 2024 US presidential election culminated in the victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump, after a campaign marked by severe political tension and deep divisions that will continue to define the country for years to come.
Until the first televised presidential debate on June 27, with Joe Biden still the Democratic candidate, polls favored Trump and everything seemed to be going well for the Republicans.
However, ironically, it was Biden's poor performance in that debate that reignited the fight for victory, when the incumbent President withdrew from the race, making way for the candidacy of his vice president, Kamala Harris, who revitalized the campaign with a progressive platform that included reforms to the criminal justice system, expanded access to health care, and defense of women's reproductive rights.
In assuming the Democratic candidacy, Kamala Harris faced the difficult challenge of consolidating her image in the eyes of the electorate in an exceptionally short campaign period.
However, in the first few weeks, Harris performed better in the polls than Biden and managed to raise millions of dollars in donations to fund her campaign.
Harris's political platform focused on creating an "opportunity economy," with proposals designed to benefit the middle class, including tax breaks for the birth of a child, assistance with first-time homeowners, and incentives for business startups.
However, despite the appeal of her proposals, Harris has struggled to shake off her image as an unpopular figure in Biden's administration, and to respond to voters concerned about issues such as immigration and inflation.
Trump's campaign has faced significant challenges, including two assassination attempts: on July 13, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was shot in the ear; and on September 15, at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida, when a suspect was arrested.
Despite these incidents, Trump maintained a campaign focused on hard-line policies, promising to seal the southern border to combat illegal immigration and revitalize the economy through protectionist tariffs.
The Republican candidate adopted an even more isolationist stance than he had attempted in his first term (2017-2021), proposing to reduce US involvement in international conflicts and reassess traditional alliances, such as NATO.
To strengthen his support base, Trump chose JD Vance, a senator from Ohio and former critic who has become one of his most fervent supporters, as his vice-presidential candidate; Harris, in turn, sought out its governor, Tim Walz, from Minnesota, known for his assertive approach against more radical Republican figures.
In the final stretch, the polls indicated a technical tie, with the swing states --- Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin --- playing a crucial role.
Trump would eventually secure victory by winning the majority of these states, easily surpassing the 270 votes needed in the electoral college (312 votes to Harris's 226) and, equally important, his Republican Party maintained its majority in the House of Representatives (220 seats to Harris's 215) and regained its majority in the Senate (53 seats to Harris's 47).
Trump's second term promises to be as controversial, if not more so, than his first, following his promises of retaliation against political opponents, the hardening of immigration policies, and the adoption of an isolationist stance in foreign policy that could redefine the role of the United States on the global stage.
