Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Trump was shot at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. This “assassination attempt” caused Trump’s approval rating to soar. Gong Honglie, associate professor at the Institute of International Relations of Nanjing University, told the Russian Satellite News Agency that the shooting had a great impact on the election in the short term.
Gong Honglie said that this incident can be said to be a product of the development of the American social environment, including the background of the assassin, which is closely related to the political culture and social culture of the United States. As we all know, assassinations of presidential candidates or assassinations of presidents occur frequently in the United States.
“The assassination of a presidential candidate is a sudden event. Although it is not an isolated case, once it happens, the impact and shock on the social and political environment in the United States in the short term will be enormous. Of course, this also involves a series of social issues, such as gun control and violent behavior,” said experts.
Gong Honglie pointed out that the impact of assassinations during the election on the election is also difficult to estimate. Usually, even when the competition between candidates is in a stalemate, the overall election trend will be relatively stable. If such an unexpected incident occurs, it will have a very obvious effect, which is very favorable to one party or very unfavorable to the other . The surge in Trump’s approval rating after the shooting also illustrates this point.
“Trump’s series of performances during and after the shooting have greatly helped his election campaign, and this also reflects the positive image of a tough white male shaped by American political culture. In fact, over a long period of time in the past, the power of white men under American political culture has had a very positive impact on the general election. This time, the Republican Party will certainly use this image to add points to Trump’s election campaign,” said Gong Honglie.
Experts believe that unlike the Republicans, the Democratic Party has created a relatively tolerant, family-oriented and less tough male image in recent years, from Obama to Biden . This shooting incident has obviously strengthened Trump’s positive image as a tough white male, but on the other hand, it is extremely unfavorable to Biden’s image and will have a negative effect.
Gong Honglie pointed out that, in general, the shooting incident will have a great impact on the election in the short term, and Trump’s team will also use this incident to help his election, including Trump’s remarks on social media, which are probably carefully designed. As the case is investigated, the heat of the shooting incident may continue for a while. However, considering that there are still a few months before the election, it is still unknown what will happen in the future, so it is a bit too early to draw a conclusion. It is just that once Trump’s positive image is confirmed, it will greatly help his election trend.
On July 13, local time, a gunman fired several shots at the podium of Trump’s rally and was immediately shot dead by the US Secret Service. The shooting killed one audience member and seriously injured two.
Trump posted on social media on the 14th to express his condolences to the victims and their families. “We pray for the recovery of the wounded, and we also remember the citizens who were brutally killed in our hearts. At this moment, we need to unite more than ever, show our true character as Americans, stay strong and determined, and don’t let evil win.”
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