By Omar Bah, Wisconsin, USA
The 2024 US presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will significantly impact international security and economic policy. The economy ranks as voters’ top concern, with 52% rating it as “extremely important” to their vote. Trump currently leads Harris on economic issues (+9 points) and foreign policy (+5 points), while Harris has advantages on climate change (+26) and healthcare (+10). It is estimated that over 8000 Gambians are living in the United States. The Standard took time to reach out to some of them who have voted or are preparing to vote today.
Professor Lamin Keita, a comparative political violence analyst and researcher, said he voted for Democratic candidate Kamala Harrs.
He explained: “Why I have voted for Kamala Harris is because she believes in solving gun violence and the right to abortion, her called for helping the middle class, will unequivocally accept the results of the election for the national interest, and will solve the immigration crisis as well as end the war in the Middle East and Ukraine.”
He said many polls, such as the Gallup poll released recently, found that there are relative concerns about democracy and security, which also scored high this year. “As a result, the implications for this year’s election on security in Africa will broadly hinge on the winning candidate’s foreign policy agenda. However, it doesn’t necessarily imply a vote solely on that basis. For example, top-issue polling may give a sense of concerns and campaign themes that can resonate with different perceptions of the electorates’ expectations. These fringe factors create a partisan divide between the Republicans and Democrats when it comes to national security and its implications in Africa and our continents are by no means an exception to this,” he said.
Keita added that the US 2024 presidential election will also be based on multiple political identities of members of the African diaspora and their perceptions of the United States’ relationship with other countries.
“Many immigrants assume that American democracy is no longer perceived as a standard bearer. Thus, many of these communities align themselves with one of the presidential candidates because of their position on the economy, immigration, border security, gun control, abortion, healthcare, education, and others who have deeply held views on fossil fuels and increased access to sustainable energy solutions,” he noted.
Sainey Darboe, a former Gambian journalist who relocated to the United States a few years ago, said: “As an African with Muslim background, the conflict in Gaza with the accompanying mass killing of civilians doesn’t sit well with me. This has occurred with the explicit support and supply of weapons by the Biden administration. I’m opposed to my tax dollars funding genocide in Gaza or anywhere. I will not vote for Democrats. I want to see them lose. I will not vote for continuation of an administration hell bent on genocide.”
Darboe added: “Democrats claim to support the international world order. But effectively they’re presiding over genocide. I don’t respect that. I don’t see a Harris administration doing anything radically different than Biden. Yes, Trump has upended decades of American foreign policy in the Middle East, but I don’t see him doing any worse than Democrats as has been amply demonstrated by over a year of indiscriminate bombing and killing of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon. They haven’t displayed serious commitment to the return of hostages. That’s totally unacceptable.”
Lamin Komma, also a US-Gambian citizen, said: “I know many are concerned that Trump will retaliate against his critics and some are concerned about his derogatory comments about immigrants which are very concerning too. However, the killing of Palestinians by the Israelis is my concern and Trump has promised to end the war by January, so I will vote for him.”
Binta Ceesay, a popular activist who also voted, said: “First I would like to say this was not an easy vote for me because I was conflicted about certain things, especially the genocide currently taking place in Gaza, as well as the conflicts in Congo and Sudan and the role the United States leadership is playing in each of them. However, I also realize that there is so much at stake in this election that being a one issue voter would hurt in the long run. I decided to consider all the issues that matter to me as a woman, a mother, an immigrant and a Black woman. Reproductive Health and Justice is on the line, child care is on the line and these are issues very dear to my heart. I know that the only candidate with whom there is a chance for better policies on these issues and a chance to end the genocide in Palestine is Kamala Harris, the democratic candidate, so that is whom I voted for. This is not going to be an easy election, it looks like it would be a tight race and all the candidates especially the Democratic and Republican candidates. I would not be surprised by either win. Both candidates have a big chance at winning for very different reasons.”
