Montclair State students chose between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump to be the 45th President of the United States on Nov. 7. While a majority of Montclair State students voted for Clinton, a small portion voted for Trump.
Nicole Frustier, an undeclared student who voted for Trump, said that she voted for him based on his strategies to help the economy. She said Clinton’s strategies were unfair because they would make wealthier individuals to pay a higher amount in taxes.
While Frustier doesn’t agree with many of Trump’s views and believes that he is a bit outspoken, she said, “I didn’t look at him as a person. My mom said to look at the candidates, not as a friend but as a president. He’s not here to be our friend, but to help our country.”
Some Trump supporters have expressed that they feel it will be better to keep silent on the matter of the elections in fear of the others’ reactions.
Trump supporters have been labeled as racists by some of Trump’s detractors. However, an anonymous Montclair State student fought back against those accusations and explained why she voted for Trump.
“I am a female and a millennial, who voted for Trump. Despite popular belief, I [am] neither a racist nor an xenophobic,” she said. “I did my research and I believe Trump to be the best candidate for the job. I admire the way he runs his business in that he hires the person who is the best suited for a particular job. He has hired many women in high positions where he pays them equal to their male co-workers of equal level […] I also feel that many of our current politicians only know how to spend money, placing our country into further debt. Trump has been able to invest money and turn a profit many times throughout his career. I believe that he will be able to do the same for our country.”
A Montclair State student named Christopher, who did not wish to disclose his last name because he feared backlash, was at the anti-Trump protest on campus two weeks ago and said, “this is what democracy actually looks like,” while holding up a map that showed the states that had voted for Trump.
