The 2016 election was an historic election. Regardless of whether your favorite candidate won or not, it was the most unconventional election in modern history. Whether you agree with President Trump’s policies or not, he is the most unconventional president—ever. Personality and tact aside, his rise to the Presidency was unpredictable given the polls, his experience, and his overall lack of support from the Republican Party. All of the factors that (somewhat) accurately predict electoral outcomes, did not predict a Trump win.

1.  In your opinion, why or how did President Trump win the 2016 election? This question is open form. Just answer it from what you know or have read personally.

The following questions are not opinion. The answers are discussed in the Schaffner & Clark EBook.

2.  The success of Donald Trump’s candidacy challenged many political science theories about the nature of American campaigns, while it simultaneously helped to highlight other important concepts that have long been well understood. One of the political science theories that was challenged was the basic understanding that Party Elites or the Party leadership chooses their party’s nominee. According to Schaffner & Clark, what did the Republican party do in 2016 that countered that theory?

3.      One of the concepts or rather institutions that operated as understood was the electoral college. What differences in (population and demographic) do you see among the various states. According to Schaffner & Clark, how did those differences explain the outcome of the 2016 election?

4.      What is Partisan Motivated reasoning? Given that definition, what role did the Media play in providing information to voters?