Following the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump won the presidency with 312 electoral votes, while his opponent Kamala Harris secured 226 electoral votes. Reactions among Pierce College community members and students highlighted concerns over key issues.
Logan Fisher, Pierce alumnus and now the political director of Matador Democrats at CSUN, shared how he felt and reacted to the election results.
“I’m shocked and disappointed with the national outcome and still processing the results,” Fisher said. “It’s disheartening to see how many Americans support Trump’s agenda.”
Reflecting on the election, Fisher said how surprised he was that Trump won.
“After Jan. 6 and all the court cases, part of me knew it was possible, but I just didn’t see it happening,” Fisher said. “Now we accept the results and begin organizing to move forward.”
Fisher spoke about issues that concerned him, particularly housing affordability for younger generations.
“I’m deeply worried about my generation’s ability to afford homes and avoid homelessness,” Fisher said. “I supported Harris’s plan to cap rent increases and opposed Trump’s policy of expanding housing through mass deportation.”
Carol Watkins, a third-year Pierce student and member of the Pierce College Democrats club, expressed her shock at the election results.
“I really thought Harris was going to win, at least neck and neck, but she was destroyed,” Watkins said. “I felt great sadness, not for me but for my friends around the nation who happen to be women or people of color.”
Watkins also voiced her concerns about the broader implications of the election.
“I was shocked to see how many red electoral votes there were and even more shocked that Trump had won the popular vote,” Watkins said. “It makes me feel terrible that he won, but if this is the majority vote, then I can’t really be mad. This is what America wants, I guess.”
Reproductive rights were a significant concern for Watkins leading up to the election.
“I feel that reproductive rights were very important to me, which is why it is upsetting that Trump won,” Watkins said. “There is no longer separation between church and state, and that scares me.”
Jonathan Gomez, a second-year student at Pierce, remained largely unfazed by the election results.
“Truth be told, I wasn’t surprised by the outcome,” Gomez said. “Both candidates had flawed campaigns, but after the failed assassination attempt, it seemed a new tide had turned, and the surge of support he garnered made his victory almost inevitable.”
Despite his acceptance of the results, Gomez expressed concerns about the potential challenges ahead.
“With Trump’s victory, I sense a series of conflicts may lie ahead for our nation in the next four years,” Gomez said.
Gomez focused on specific issues that mattered to him.
“Women’s rights, fixing the economy and withdrawing support for Israel amidst their genocidal actions were my key issues,” Gomez said. “I hope we can see progress on these fronts, but I’m worried about what lies ahead.”
,
