I agree with Ciorba that nobody should be blaming or scapegoating marginalized communities for the outcome of the 2024 election; that’s shameful. However, let’s not start playing the victim or making excuses, either.

Their underlying message is clear: “Vote for us, because we are better than you. We know what is best for you. We know you better than you know yourself.”

After president-elect Donald Trump secured a decisive victory in the presidential election on Tuesday night, many WashU students came to campus the next day grappling with the news and processing a wide range of emotions.

For some, Wednesday was a celebration of a strong showing by Trump. But for many students on WashU’s predominantly Democratic campus, the day was marked by sadness, fear, and uncertainty about the future of the country. 

WashU, like most other majority-liberal universities, is a bubble; however, Missouri is not. Some of the communities most impacted by this year’s election results are just outside the gates of WashU, and stepping out of the campus ecosystem is a crucial step in enacting real change.

 In an exit poll conducted by Student Life, 448 voters at the WashU Athletic Complex overwhelmingly supported Democrats, including Kamala Harris for President, Lucas Kunce for Senate, and Wesley Bell for the House of Representatives. Abortion was named a key issue for a majority of voters, and more than 90% of respondents supported Amendment 3.

Do we as Americans really want to see a nation where everyone from all points on the political spectrum can come together and join hands, or do we just want our political enemies not to attack us? It seems to me that it’s the latter.

As President of the College Democrats, I’ve found that a few students on campus and in College Democrats are committed to engaging with the political process and doing the work of canvassing, door-knocking, or anything needed to win an election. However, increasingly over the past four years, I’ve observed a tendency of left-leaning students to see themselves as unimportant or unheard and to disengage from the electoral process. 

In our increasingly online world, viral sound bites and video clips hold more weight in electoral politics than ever. Today, more than half of Americans get their news from social media sources. With that in mind, here are five of the most viral moments of the 2024 election that you may have missed.

Cooper views her podcast as outside the realm of politics — even while a presidential candidate sits in the seat across from her.

No election you are eligible to vote in is too small or too unimportant.