Trump’s run for office sparks mixed views

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a Tea Party rally against the international nuclear agreement with Iran outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015. (Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS)

The 2016 presidential election has taken over headlines with many of these stories featuring one of the Republican Party candidates, Donald Trump. 

Trump formally announced his candidacy in June 2015 in front of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York.

Although Trump just announced his candidacy early this summer, it is not the first time he thought about running in the presidential race. 

CNN reported that most Americans now view Trump as a reality TV star.  Previously, Trump starred and produced the reality series, “The Apprentice,” which aired for 14 seasons. 

Hana Barkowitz, freshman public relations major and College Democrats President, said Trump is a well-established businessman, but is not politically inclined. 

Madeline Tauscher, a junior international relations major said, “He does not have focus in the right place. In a business way, he could really help the economy, but he does not have a full grasp to know what it takes to run a country.”

Freshman exercise science major Max Wolford said he believes that Trump is solely driven by money and every situation he is put in, he creates a business around it. 

Over the last few months, Trump has been in the headlines for many of the controversial comments and remarks he’s made. One of the most recent headline-breaking comments Trump made was about fellow Republican nominee, Carly Fiorina.

“Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?” Trump said in a recent article from The New York Times.

CNN reported Trump named himself the “most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far.”  The article also pointed out that Trump said that he owns a “Gucci store that’s worth more than Romney.”

On the other hand Nicholas Gaeta, junior entrepreneurship major, believes that Trump is a “unique person to run the country.”  Gaeta, who is in favor of Trump for the election, added that he can relate to him as a person because of what he has done as a business man. 

“He doesn’t have that politician mindset and doesn’t seem like he’s lying like the others,” Gaeta said.

Brandon Ritzler, senior biology major, said he would like to see Trump take the White House due to the fact that the country has had a democratic president for the last two terms. Ritzler said Trump, as a republican candidate, will bring “fresh new values to the country.”

When asked about his thoughts on celebrities running for political office, Ritzler responded by saying that he believes kids in the new voting generation will vote for celebrities just because they know them from the media and won’t focus on actual political issues. 

Ritzler said, “Kanye announced he’s running for president in 2020 and it’s stupid because so many people will vote for him just because he is Kanye West and won’t think twice about his ideals.”

Because of Trump’s unique campaign style, students are concerned his outspoken thoughts and comments are not helping him in the polls.

“I realized that it is my future and I encourage all college students to care,” said Barkowitz.  “It is important to care because we are going to be the generation that is making decisions.”

Alexandra Gray is the student politics reporter for The Kent Stater. She can be contacted at [email protected].