In the midst of the uncertainty gripping the US as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Presidential Election has had to take something of a backseat. But come November, incumbent President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden will battle it out for four years in the White House, and it’s set to be an intriguing tussle in these strange times we’re living in.
Covid-19 has given the upcoming election a new significance, with many factors coming into play that wouldn’t have even been considered if coronavirus hadn’t taken hold of the planet. For those who enjoy betting on politics, it’s looking increasingly tight in the race to become President, and it may boil down to who can win canvass support on policies regarding the topical issues of the day. Here, we go through a few key areas in which the 2020 Presidential Election will be decided.
Handling of the virus
Of course, the greatest challenge facing politicians across the globe is how to cope with the spread of coronavirus, and the US is no different. In fact, America has been hit worse by Covid-19 than a lot of other countries, largely due to the nation’s large population and the way individual states are governed, making it hard to implement widespread containment measures across the country.
The challenge facing Trump and Biden is to convince voters that they have a firm grasp on what it will take to save lives and reduce transmission of the virus, so that life can return towards normality once again. Trump may be at a disadvantage here, as there have been question marks raised over his handling of the crisis, and he’ll need to prove that he has the capability to impose appropriate measures to stop the rate of infection rising further.
Post-Covid recovery
When the virus has been reduced, the challenge for whoever leads the nation as President will be to lead America out of the inevitable post-virus economic slump that will grip the nation. Job losses and financial downturn seem inevitable in the wake of such a hard-hitting pandemic, and Trump and Biden will need to show that they have a plan to bring the US out of that slump when they hit the campaign trail.
One of Trump’s successes in his time as President has been to reduce the level of unemployment across the country, but the aftermath of the virus threatens to undo that work. The fact that he’s had success in this area may convince voters that he can do it again, but Biden will be seeking to prove that his policies will lead to greater benefit for the American economy.
Greater equality
Another key issue heading towards the election is the controversy surrounding equality, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Riots and violence broke out as a result of Floyd’s death, with many pointing to perceived systemic racism in the police and other areas of public service.
The key for both candidates will be to bring about greater peace throughout the country and to tackle the issues that exist in America in terms of racism and inequality. The US has been a divided nation for some time, and perhaps whichever of Trump and Biden can promise the best steps towards healing, will be poised to win the election.
