The 2020 US presidential election might just be the most followed national election in the world this year. Donald Trump has enjoyed an unorthodox four years at the helm of the United States, having achieved a surprising victory back in 2016. Now working towards being re-elected in November, Trump’s closest competitor is ahead in the polls that US outlets and analysts hold so dear.
According to a May 13 poll, Trump’s approval rating has dipped while his foe, Joe Biden, has seen his numbers pick up. In the Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll, the Democratic challenger to the Republican president leads by eight percent. Regardless of this, looking to the outcome of the election, the expert oddsmakers are seeing the polls as meaning very little to the eventual winner, as it stands.
But how and why do the bookies still have Trump ahead, and what would it mean to Nigeria if Trump won again?
Trump is loud and proud, Biden’s in the basement
Donald Trump’s election war machine is ruthless, relentless, and just about everywhere. It’s one of the major reasons why he won the presidency in the first place, and now, he has a podium at the White House. Whenever he has something to say, it’s immediately national news with most outlets covering his announcements and conferences live. This is a major factor as it’s Trump’s charisma and ability to sway opinion through his spiel that makes him such a mighty political adversary.
Joe Biden, on the other hand, may represent a better America in the eyes of outsiders, but in the US, he has a lot of convincing to do. He’s been doubling down on virtual campaigning – as it’s all that he can do – but while many of the ads are compelling and damming of the president, he’s struggling to connect with the voters to the extent that Trump has with ease. The prime example was Biden’s intended virtual rally in Florida, which was mired by technical difficulties, glitches, and an overall lack of personality.
While there are many factors between them, such as any angles on foreign policy, health care, or the economy that either party will seek to exploit, Trump’s stage versus Biden’s streams are swaying the experts. Campaigning is huge in the US, bookmakers know it, and so, with the nation’s attention almost every night, Trump has the edge. This is one of the fundamental reasons why Trump leads the odds to win the 2020 election. That said, Biden isn’t too far behind.
What Trump getting re-elected could mean for Nigeria
He may be the leader of a country that’s on the other side of the world, but Trump holds a fair bit of influence over Nigeria and has a great deal of approval here. Nigeria-US relations have historically been good, but Trump seemingly put that to the test with his travel bans, still managing to come out on top in public opinion.
It has been found that Nigerians who have an interest in global affairs find Trump to be more amusing than anything else, while many more appreciate his pro-religion, tough, blunt, and no-nonsense persona. When Trump placed a travel ban on Nigeria, many foresaw relations deteriorating, but this ended up spurring public opinion, with him being praised for forcing the lethargic government to get to work on appeasing the regulations, as explained by The Washington Post.
If Trump wins his second term, with the bookies favoring him to do so, he may further assert his influence over Nigeria’s leadership and bring about more action. By being so outlandish, Trump not only drowns out the voices of his competitors, but he can also be heard across the oceans.