Editor’s Note: The Badger Herald had difficulty finding UW students who support Trump and could go on the record for this article, but if anyone who identifies as such would like to state their opinion, please email us at [email protected]. 

In a Nov. 1 final poll before Election Day, Marist College found that Vice President Kamala Harris held a 2-point lead over former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin. But, Trump was declared the elected president early Wednesday morning and won Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes — which were enough to push Trump over the 270 votes needed to win the presidency, according to AP News.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., was re-elected Nov. 5 after running against Eric Hovde, according to AP News. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., won reelection as the representative for Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District against Erik Olsen, according to the County of Dane.

In Dane County, the voting district for the University of Wisconsin, Harris won 74.9% of the vote, according to the County of Dane. There were over 10,500 early voters on the UW campus, according to previous reporting by The Badger Herald.

The majority of young voters backed Harris, but the youth vote still shifted toward Trump compared to 2020 — especially among white youth and young men, according to data from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University.

The Badger Herald spoke to UW students who cast their votes for democratic candidates to hear their opinions about the election’s outcome.

UW sophomore and City of Madison election official Kathy Bian said she was excited for the election and thought there was no way Trump would be elected again.

“I just felt the air and the atmosphere shift a bit,” Bian said. “And I thought, ‘Okay, this is really bad.’”

Bian said she stayed up late on election night waiting for Pennsylvania to be called, and was disappointed to wake up on Wednesday to the news of Trump winning the election.

UW freshman Marcus Sponsler said he felt hopeful during the days leading up to the election, even though he knew it would be a tight race. Sponsler said he attended Harris-Walz rallies and was inspired by the positivity and energy surrounding the campaign — which encouraged his hope.

“When I woke up the following morning and saw that he [Trump] had 270 votes, it was really hard and really disappointing,” Sponsler said. “I immediately thought of all of the people that will be affected by this, like women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Bian and Sponsler expressed relief that Baldwin and Pocan were elected to the Senate and House. Bian said she was frustrated that counties that voted for Baldwin still voted for Trump but said Baldwin’s win was relieving nonetheless.

UW sophomore Adria Kriehn said she felt more aligned with Pocan than Baldwin — in part because of their differing views on the Israel-Palestine conflict. But, Kriehn said she was relieved by Baldwin’s win. 

“It was upsetting to me that she won her senate race and yet Wisconsin went red,” Kriehn said. “But it was a little relieving. It was a good thing in the wake of everything that went on.”

Kriehn said she was concerned about what another Trump presidency would mean for all Americans — but especially for minority groups. Kriehn said her life will be affected as a woman whose education is funded by public programs, but she said she is especially worried about people like her transgender friends whose identities are being weaponized.

UW freshman Mahika Prasad said it was upsetting to see how many people voted for Trump, considering his stance on abortion and immigration. As the daughter of two immigrants, conversations surrounding immigration are close to her heart, she said.

“I would just hope that the people on the opposing side would maybe consider putting themselves in a situation where they might need an abortion, or where they are faced with meeting people who are immigrants and think about how they would feel,” Prasad said.

Bian said she was discouraged that voters didn’t see Trump’s racist and sexist remarks as a deal breaker and said she felt like Americans had lost their humanity in voting for Donald Trump.

Sponsler echoed a similar sentiment, saying he has thought a lot about voters choosing not to recognize Trump’s character and history in electing him to the highest government position in the U.S.

“I think this election really is a reminder to a lot of people that it’s still important to focus on someone’s character and, most importantly, their morals,” Sponsler said.

Bian said she is concerned that female students will be wary about their male counterparts on campus who voted for Trump, because of Trump’s history of sexual assault and sexist rhetoric.

Bian and Sponsler raised concerns about Trump’s plans and policies, especially regarding education and the economy.

Bian said she is concerned about Trump’s pledge to eliminate the Department of Education, and emphasized the significance for students who rely on FAFSA and loans for their education. Bian and Sponsler denounced Trump’s tariff proposals, and said students who voted for Trump’s economic policies will likely be negatively impacted.

“It’s not just gonna be China paying the price,” Bian said. “It’s gonna be regular people like us also paying the prices,” Bian said.

Kriehn said she was frustrated by election results that didn’t reflect the efforts and action by young voters who supported Harris, and she said it was hard to have action go unheard and unmet.

Prasad also said she hopes the outcome of the 2024 presidential election will encourage young voters to realize how important their vote is for the country’s future.

Bian said she is worried about this election’s impact on polarization, and said there is a need for students to advocate together for policies that support them, regardless of their political views. She said she hopes Democrats and Republicans can find a middle ground, even if they’re not absolutely unified.

“Even though we are so different in a way, sometimes we have common values that we really don’t know unless we actually sit down and talk about it,” Bian said.