When exactly does the election season begin? Some say after the 2 weeks of conventions, others say the first presidential debates. For the people of North Carolina, Election season 2020 kicked off on August 24th, 2020 on Boylston Highway in Mills River, North Carolina.

Unfortunately, part of Trump’s political persona is his unpredictability, making any projections that involve him more difficult to predict. Elections are not the exception: they’re the rule. Polls being harder to trust when Trump is involved has led to multiple things: when he is ahead in a poll, his supporters and Trump himself argue he will win by a landslide, and when Biden is leading, Trump and his supporters argue that it means nothing. 

There’s a common misconception that in order to be an ally one must actively post on social media and engage in large amounts of political and social dialogue. It’s hard to describe what being an ally is because it really depends on the person. For me, allyship comes in the form of education - understanding that systems were created for few to succeed, despite pockets of success within the communities it was meant to fail.

As Trump’s first term comes to a close, state politicians Republican and Democrat alike race to gain political footing in a divided nation. My home state of Montana mirrors the nation’s polarized atmosphere as we near the November elections. One Montana race capturing the citizens’ attention is the race for the state’s U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Steve Daines Come November, the incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Bullock will face off against Daines who is seeking his second six-year term. Both candidates have been popular among Montanans and are likely to face off in November. 

Three years ago, Alabama’s Republican Senate candidate rode a horse named Sassy to the vote in the special election. For years, Roy Moore has received national recognition as Alabama’s most (in)famous politician- for good reason. Moore’s first removal from the Alabama Supreme Court came after he refused to remove a commissioned marble statue of the Ten Commandments from the state courthouse.

With election season comes the discussion of diverse political ideologies and future hopes for America. Many of my peers mention their overwhelming support for a patriot, a fighter, and a human form of the United States: Madison Cawthorn. Who is this all-powerful fresh candidate so many North Carolinians my age want in office come 2021? After stumbling upon a rally for Cawthorn at the local courthouse one afternoon, I decided to find the source of this newfound millennials local fame.

When Trump finally did mention the press, he pointed to the box in which they worked diligently, and called them liars, specifically naming the New York Times and CNN, which struck a more personal chord to me, as some of the people I look up to the most work for those groups. The entire crowd began to boo, and someone in the crowd who was obviously not a supporter screamed “F*** you,” leading to him being thrown out, and the crowd became extremely riled up.

As soon as the first presidential candidate arrives at the Iowa State Fair in August, Iowans know it has begun: caucus season.

For a few months out of the year, our little fly-over state filled with small towns and lots of “opes” becomes the target of a media circus: a frenzy of activity that leaves some Iowans exhausted and some exhilarated. For me, it was the latter. With this year being the first I was eligible to vote in our primaries, I quickly threw myself into the festivities.

Since 2017, the Trump administration has failed to unite the country. Even during a global pandemic, when Americans need someone to guide them, Trump and White House remain incapable of projecting an amalgamating message to the public. Correspondingly with these dividing trends, it’s no surprise that governors around the United States are tasked with piloting the American charge against the Coronavirus. While the White House continues to smear irrelevant data and downplay the severity of a global pandemic, state governors have quickly emerged as some of the most prominent voices in politics.