Four individuals. Two positions. The U.S. Presidential Election of 2024 is what many consider to be one of the most important elections in the history of the United States. However, as campaign season comes to an end and voting season begins, the election is undergoing a metamorphosis to become more like a battle of personalities rather than a debate on policies. In fact, according to the USC Price School of Public Policy, during presidential debates, appearance of the candidates is often more important to voters than debate regarding proposed policy. So, if it is not policy, what makes the candidates so appealing–or rather, unappealing–to the American people?

At the top of the ticket this November, voters will see the names of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. The economy is one of the biggest issues for voters this fall, with many feeling they were living better financial lives under Trump than under Biden. According to The Conversation, under Trump, there were extraordinary “stock market highs” and “economic growth.” Additionally, many feel that the economic upsides of Biden’s presidency are minimal compared to the soaring inflation during his time in office. 

On a more psychological note, many experts–such as those at Scientific American–view Trump’s following as a “personality cult,” defined by experts as a group in which the followers feel as though Trump is infallible and incapable of wrongdoing. On the other hand, Vice President Harris being much younger than Trump is appealing to the younger generation, as demonstrated by her campaign’s engagement with social media trends and pop culture. Arguably more important though, The Conversation explains, many voters are voting for Harris simply because she is not Trump. Harris is viewed as the more decent and moral choice for president. In summary, on one side voters are choosing Trump because of his inability to make “wrong” decisions, and on the other side, voters are choosing Harris because she is not Trump. Perception is what creates the results of our election, especially in the current times. Not the best way to choose between candidates for any job, let alone the most consequential job on the planet, is it?

Underneath the names of these big dogs, you’ll find two other names that may be less recognizable: Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio and Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota. During the vice presidential debate that took place on October 1st, Vance and Walz seem to have had a calm and civil debate in comparison to the heated, disjointed, and objectively embarrassing spectacle that was our presidential debate earlier in the year. As I watched the debate go on, I found myself in awe of the fluidity and confidence demonstrated by Vance in articulating his positions, irrespective of any bias I had held towards or against him at the time. As I compared Vance’s appearance on the stage to Walz’s apparent nervous demeanor, I began to wonder whether other Americans watching the debate that night felt the same as I did. It turns out that I was right.

Frank Bruni, an opinion writer for The New York Times, voiced the opinion I had been replaying in my head, explaining, “Vance’s answers seemed to have commas, semicolons and colons in all the right places, while Walz’s herky-jerky statements were linked (or not) by ellipses.”  How much did this exceptional performance on Vance’s part hurt–or help–the Republican party’s chances at winning the presidency? Well, it turns out, Vance’s favorability went up by nine percent among debate-watchers interviewed by CBS News. Vance’s training at Yale Law School and his savvy skills as a lawyer seemed to help prepare him to be in an on-stage battle with Tim Walz. However, as the debate went on, Walz seemed to find his footing. He was able to discuss potential policy while Vance, according to viewers, mainly focused on attacking Harris. Walz’s likeability and charisma have assisted him greatly in one-on-one interactions with voters on the campaign trail but fell short on the debate stage, while Vance, who was viewed as one of the most unfavorable VP candidates ever, appeared to recast himself through the debate. Again, perception proves it is of utmost importance in this day and age. 

This election will be one for the ages; people all over the world are sure not to forget it in a hurry. There is a storm brewing under the surface, one that will surely come to society’s consciousness soon and bring light to the underlying reasons of why the winner of the election won. We will just have to wait and see.

Information retrieved from The Sol Price School of Public Policy, Scientific American, The Conversation, The New York Times, CBS News, and CNN.