Just ln: Nigerians in US weigh Trump, Kamala chances
Nigerians in the United States have said the winner of the race to the White House between former President Donald Trump, and Vice President Kamala Harris, is still early to predict.
Trump is expected to battle Harris in a presidential election scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2024. This was after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race on July 21.
Nigerians, who shared their thoughts with Saturday PUNCH, said both Trump and Harris have equal chances.
A data analyst in New York, Paul Oluwakoya, said, “Generally, American voters are educated. I see them waiting and looking forward to the September 4th scheduled interview between the two ‘horsepower’ candidates, to form their opinions, make informed decisions, and concretise their electoral positions.
“Though for now there’s this subtleness of gender edge for the democrat candidate as some voters in New York feel being a woman is a plus to Kamala Harris. Moreso, they hope the party strongly harnesses love, care, dignity, humanity, rights, and values the vice president personified among other virtues and qualities that make her stand out. However, don’t forget America appreciates knowledge and competence in public office above gender and other sentiments like age and race.”
Another resident, Kelechukwu Ogu, said it is “delusional” for anyone to think Harris would defeat Trump.
Trump, Kamala Harris to face off in high-stakes September 10 debate
US end Nigeria’s dream run in Olympics basketball quarter-finals
He said, “I feel she has some chances; I don’t know how much or how little. I do not think Kamala Haris will become America’s first female president. Americans and humans in general love a victim story. For people, it is a show of character, of strength, of resilience for someone to brave circumstances that would put one down and remain standing. Trump has received too many blows and he seems like a boxer unfazed.
“At the end of the day, many Americans will vote across ideological lines; from abortion to gender, to migration, to climate. Whoever can galvanise the moderates more, whoever can convince people about jobs, and whoever can get the most people in their ideological bracket to vote, would win. And, let’s not forget the quirk of an electoral college.”
Meanwhile, a female accounting manager in Las Vegas, Yvette Allen, said the former president had no advantage to win floor Harris, citing his ongoing trials.
She said, “The country has never given felons government jobs.”
On her position of Harris’ capacity of becoming the first female president, Allen said, “She proved that by beating Trump with Biden. Kamala understands politics and what it takes to sustain good relations with the world and other country leaders.”
