Donald Trump, an 'Unconventional' Candidate

The electoral campaign for the presidency of the United States this time is considered unconventional and unusual by most analysts and observers, starting with the emergence of a candidate who is the main reason for this unconventionality: 'I am Donald Trump and I approve this message.' Jean Eric Brana, a professor of domestic politics in the U.S. at the Sorbonne University in Paris, shares a set of behaviors and statements that contribute to this unconventionality: 'Donald Trump is an unconventional candidate because his entry into the election was unconventional from the very beginning. He has positioned various groups as scapegoats; Mexicans, the disabled, women, veterans, and Muslims. His aim is to say that groups of people have continued to struggle since the financial crisis of 2007, and that the government and political groups do not account for the problems of these people. With this approach, he declared that he would address all issues because he is not a politician but a capable man, a wealthy billionaire. Recently, he has also said that he will return to his principles in the primary elections, no longer discussing political ideas, but rather addressing the issues that have hurt people's feelings. This is also completely unconventional.' This unconventionality is not limited to the political sphere; according to Elham Gheitanchi, a sociology professor at Santa Monica College in California, it also reflects in individual behaviors in the social sphere and certain social trends. Elham Gheitanchi states: 'Generally, what is unconventional about this individual is his manner of interaction; his way of speaking. Everything that is considered politically correct in America, he disregards. For example, no one here ever allows themselves to use discriminatory phrases in public, but Mr. Donald Trump uses phrases that take positions against groups and minorities in America, which is unconventional. Another characteristic that makes Donald Trump special and attracts people to him is that he does not tolerate standards and wants to act against standards, believing that what he knows to be right should be spoken, even if that topic does not fit within the current political norms of America. This is why many people appreciate his boldness. Another point in Donald Trump's character is that he speaks recklessly against individuals. There is also a notable streak of self-satisfaction and narcissism in Donald Trump that fascinates many people. These individuals believe that someone who is so fond of themselves, someone who is so confident in their abilities, can bring about very fundamental changes.' But how is it that Donald Trump, despite being an unconventional figure in the political arena and lacking a party political background, has managed to persuade the Republican Party to be his electoral platform, a party that mainly consists of conservative social forces accustomed to conventional social and political processes? Arash Ghafouri, an expert on electoral campaigns residing in the U.S., points to a set of factors that helped Donald Trump attract Republican votes. Arash Ghafouri states: 'The statements that Donald Trump made about various groups, such as Muslims, were appealing to the radical sections of the Republican Party, who vote in elections, and they accepted these positions from Mr. Trump. The other candidates of Mr. Trump were senators, governors, and party officials; Donald Trump was the only one without such a background. Another advantage of Mr. Trump was his economic background. Trump was the only Republican candidate who did not take money from special interest groups that financially support candidates. Moreover, Donald Trump focused on issues of international trade concerning America. Unlike Republicans who want to open the doors of global trade to the country, Donald Trump opposed this issue and thus managed to attract votes from parts of the Midwest and Northeast that had been harmed by these trade discussions. This was also unconventional and unusual within the Republican Party.' The lack of party and political office experience on one hand, and the fact that, as some senior members have said, Donald Trump's outsider status in the Republican Party on the other hand, helped this unconventional candidate in the U.S. presidential election to sometimes emerge as an independent candidate from the political system of the United States. An independent candidacy that stands in stark contrast to Hillary Clinton, who, due to her background and that of her husband, is considered an insider and a member of the American political system. Jean Eric Brana, a professor of domestic politics in the U.S. at the Sorbonne in France, provides another image of Donald Trump's independence: 'I have repeatedly emphasized during this U.S. election campaign that Donald Trump does not belong to the Republican Party. He is affiliated with something that could be called the Trump Party. He has conducted the campaign in a Trump-like manner and has made this election cycle Trumpian. He invented a new way of political engagement that is not politics at all, it is entertainment, and from the very beginning, it has been like a television show. People who witness this entertainment believe that this man has addressed their problems, but he is really only talking about Trump, that is, himself. In February, I went to Georgia to see one of his speeches. I was amazed to see that for two hours, he only talked about himself and spent only fifteen minutes talking about the people and their concerns; it was truly astonishing.' With this characteristic of Donald Trump, he targeted specific layers of American society. But is this enough for Donald Trump to gain the necessary votes and reach the White House? The answer to this question, at least from a social perspective, is not so clear and straightforward. The prevailing stereotype in this context might be that supporters of Donald Trump's unconventional ideas are only marginalized white individuals with low average incomes, not very educated, and perhaps religiously and ethnically biased. However, Donald Trump's unconventional ideas can serve as a tool to garner silent votes. Elham Gheitanchi, a sociology professor in California, explains: 'There are individuals with high education who would like to see someone like Mr. Donald Trump come to power, but these people are very cautious in expressing their opinions. You cannot see such individuals in polls. Just like the issue of sexual violence. Sociologists have long believed that the phenomenon of sexual violence is prevalent among those who are poor or uneducated. Because the statistics we had were mostly about these individuals. These individuals expressed themselves more. However, over the past two decades, we have realized that sexual violence exists across all classes, but upper, middle, or wealthy classes do not easily express their opinions. For example, what surprises me is that the number of women who express that, despite recent revelations, their support for Donald Trump has not diminished. These are women living in Texas, highly educated, and economically successful. They believe that Donald Trump is the only option outside the system, and because he is outside the political system, he can change the system.' Everything said about this round of the U.S. presidential election and its possible outcomes indicates that the emergence of Donald Trump contradicts the trends, policies, and conventional realities of the political scene in the United States, and perhaps its impact is not limited to the current election period.