In November 2024, presidential elections took place in the United States. The process, which had already begun more than a year before the elections, involved competitiveness among political parties and candidates actively campaigning for the presidency.
At the same time, their numbers increased significantly. Navbahor Imamova, a reporter from "Voice of America" radio, conducted an interview about the electoral landscape in the United States, specifically regarding the election scene in the coastal state of "River" in the United States.
What is the competitive environment among political parties and the electoral system in the United States like? What do we know about the upcoming presidential election?
Presidential elections are held in the United States every four years. Additionally, every two years, elections are held for Congress. This means that members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years, either through reelection or by vacating their seats for others. Senate elections take place every six years. There is an election year in America, followed by a year with speculation about the next election.
In 2024, elections were held not only for the presidency but also for Congress. The race has already begun. Both Democrats and Republicans are raising funds as much as possible. Since the government does not allocate funds to candidates, it is up to the nominees to gather financial resources. The state does not intervene in this matter.
There are special funds that allow for obtaining money from them. However, for this, it is necessary to collect money separately from individual Americans. Almost every week, someone comes to the field, to the "stage," especially from Republicans.
It is clear who among the Democrats is running for the presidency - Joe Biden. If the current president commits to running for re-election, no one else from that party will enter the field. This is loyalty and party love. The party does not want to give up its position in power as much as possible. Therefore, regardless of who becomes the candidate, their party supporters will rally behind them.
If there were only one Democratic candidate, there are currently at least 12 people in the field from Republicans. Starting from former President Donald Trump, his former vice president, people who have worked under him, and even the governor of the state of Florida, as well as the mayor of the major city of Miami and candidates from Texas and other states are running. They are still in the spotlight. The primary phase will begin at the beginning of the year. However, they need to gather a substantial amount of money on their own and find their way to the top among their party allies. The candidates are now competing with this in mind.
Every day, news emerges about who received how much money, how much funds were accumulated, who made what promises to whom. In other words, the main goal of Republican candidates now is to attract Republicans to their side.
Certainly, Biden and Trump are considered the main candidates. But ratings are an important issue in America. How are their ratings analyzed? Are there any new candidates who can compete with the current and former presidents?
Here, ratings are conducted every day and every week. Public opinion in swing states is constantly monitored. If we look at the president's rating, Biden's current rating is around 35-40 percent, which is not increasing. This is certainly a significant reality. However, such situations have occurred frequently in the second half of presidential terms. Therefore, it is not a critical situation or particularly worrisome. Everything will be fine, there is no need to panic. In this regard, President Biden remains calm.
However, once it becomes clear who the nominees are, the election campaign begins in swing states. In other words, there are many reasons for Biden's vulnerability. And certainly, Biden also needs to gather funds for his election campaign. In this case, being president is different from running a campaign. Finances don't mix. The clash of interests is very serious, and journalists closely monitor this. Therefore, a president seeking re-election must be cautious.
If we talk about Donald Trump, his rating among Republicans is quite high, precisely around 75-76%.
Following them is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, with a rating of around 65-67 percent. He is in second place, with the rest significantly behind. Donald Trump's confidence is high: "No one can beat me," he says. Trump is involved in major business deals, trade, and negotiations. However, any of them cannot stop him from the campaign. He believes in his appeal. If he goes to court for the second time in Florida now, he was in New York in the first month. That's when many Republicans donated money to him. In other words, within 24 hours, even up to 5, 6, or 7 mln dollars were collected. Trump turned 77 this month.
How much money do candidates need to gather for their election campaigns in America? Are the total campaign expenses mentioned?
Certainly, each candidate's expenses are accounted for in every cent, and this is publicly declared. There are numerous organizations that monitor this. We're talking about billions of dollars here. If we calculate all the candidates' expenses, the presidential campaign costs several billion dollars.
The recent trial of President Biden's son, Hunter Biden, caused quite a stir worldwide. Did it also impact the president's rating?
Certainly, it had an impact. The president's family serves as an example. America is a society based on individual freedom, where everyone is accountable for their actions. But when it comes to the children of public figures, their actions, behavior, and moral conduct are scrutinized under a microscope.
Hunter Biden is not a young man. He is a 53-year-old lawyer, lobbyist, entrepreneur, and artist. He holds a special influence within the public sphere. In the past year, he has been investigated. There were controversies surrounding him. He was labeled as a special interest lobbyist. Just this week, he faced three allegations. In other words, he was involved in tax evasion and illegally obtaining firearms. These are serious accusations, including ongoing financial dealings, scandals, and even allegations of violence. And these accusations are being exploited by Republicans against President Biden.
It should be noted that Biden faces not only pressure from Republicans but also from his own party members. They, too, are highly critical. Biden had initially protected his son. He said, "These allegations are baseless." But now, his son himself admitted, "Yes, I did that." It means he will be accountable to the prosecutors, and the consequences and implications of this case are far from over.
So-called fraudulent votes are identified in every election. However, their numbers are not significant. There is the Federal Election Commission that registers candidates. Each state has its own electoral system, and the Federal government does not interfere with it. If federal laws are violated, the federal system comes into play, such as the Department of Justice.
Each state has a Secretary of State who is responsible for overseeing the electoral system and initially reporting to the citizens. In the past 2020 presidential elections, fraudulent votes were identified.
Subsequent investigations and legal proceedings took place, and conclusions were drawn. However, they do not significantly impact the election outcome. Certainly, not all votes are accounted for. In addition to fraudulent votes, technical errors can occur in some states.
Nowadays, there is much debate about the right to vote in each state. It means that the state's legislature, the Assembly of Legislators, establishes a set of rules and creates its own specific order. Democrats are more likely to be scrutinized in states with a liberal spirit, while Republicans raise concerns about voter fraud when they come into power, meaning who can vote and who cannot. In this regard, legal organizations advocate for "maximizing the right to vote within the bounds of possibility." In other words, if Republicans come to power, it becomes more difficult to vote in that state because they restrict the votes of the majority of Democrats, considering it a federal matter under debate.
So-called fraudulent votes are identified in every election. However, their numbers are not significant. There is the Federal Election Commission that registers candidates. Each state has its own electoral system, and the Federal government does not interfere with it. If federal laws are violated, the federal system comes into play, such as the Department of Justice.
Each state has a Secretary of State who is responsible for overseeing the electoral system and initially reporting to the citizens. In the past 2020 presidential elections, fraudulent votes were identified.
Subsequent investigations and legal proceedings took place, and conclusions were drawn. However, they do not significantly impact the election outcome. Certainly, not all votes are accounted for. In addition to fraudulent votes, technical errors can occur in some states.
Nowadays, there is much debate about the right to vote in each state. It means that the state's legislature, the Assembly of Legislators, establishes a set of rules and creates its own specific order. Democrats are more likely to be scrutinized in states with a liberal spirit, while Republicans raise concerns about voter fraud when they come into power, meaning who can vote and who cannot. In this regard, legal organizations advocate for "maximizing the right to vote within the bounds of possibility." In other words, if Republicans come to power, it becomes more difficult to vote in that state because they restrict the votes of the majority of Democrats, considering it a federal matter under debate.
Is there a significant level of political engagement among the American population? With a population of 350 million people in the United States, how many of them actively participate in politics and engage in discussions and analysis?
It can be said as an observation that political engagement is quite strong in the United States, particularly in the individual's local political sphere. For example, Washington, D.C., stands out in terms of its political circles, with many individuals showing an interest in external politics both within and outside the government. In the capital itself, there are individuals who engage in discussions on international politics, even in local communities where ordinary people reside, such as my neighbors, who take an interest in external politics to a lesser extent. For them, the conditions, standard of living, local economy, and security issues in this city are important. In other words, the major driving factor that influences every election in America is the economy since it is interconnected with everything else. Public services, people's well-being, healthcare all of these aspects are an inseparable part of the economy. We know from public surveys that there is significant interest in and concern about these matters.
Americans, like citizens of other societies, have varying levels of trust in politicians. That is to say, both the approval rating of the White House and Congress is generally quite low. For instance, the overall approval rating of Congress usually hovers around 20-30%. The highest-rated political entity in the country is often the Department of Defense. It means that Americans have confidence in their military and believe in their capabilities. However, it should be emphasized that both serious and trivial matters are considered since it is a fact that public media outlets and officials in power have low ratings in America.
Americans are active and issues drive them. Public opinion is important because citizens' perspectives often shape election outcomes. Indeed, unexpected results can also occur at times. However, the overall public opinion is usually taken seriously until the final moment. With the onset of election speculation, everyone has a say in the matter. In other words, the citizens are aware. For instance, the current economic situation has improved significantly. However, challenges persist. Unemployment remains high, and inflation is also on the rise, but overall, it is still relatively high.
American students demand and issues keep them on their toes. They don't hesitate to criticize politicians and express their opinions openly. They crave knowledge and actively seek out news, staying interested. They keep up with the latest news updates every hour. I don't only consider Americans living in the capital city; even people in the most remote corners of America are curious about news, who is in power, and what they are doing. Initially, they question their local leaders and administration, demanding accountability from them.
Islambek Umaraliyev interviewer.
Cameraman Ilham Khursanaliev, editor Daniil Ermurodov.
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