United States Presidential Election Of 2016 | History & Facts

Background

As the political parties began their nomination process in 2015, the Republican Party (GOP) looked to be in a solid position. Many voters expressed a desire for change. Moreover, Democrats seemed likely to put forward an uninspiring candidate. Outgoing Pres. Barack Obama had presided over eight years of steady economic expansion following the 2008 worldwide financial meltdown, but many new jobs were not full-time, and the recovery was slow by historical standards. The president’s signature domestic accomplishment, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” was failing financially. With Chinese, Russian, and Iranian influence surging, the U.S. appeared to be in retreat from its traditional foreign policy dominance. Republican prospects appeared so promising that an unprecedented 17 presidential candidates, many of them successful governors or senators, threw their hats into the ring, guaranteeing a complicated winnowing-down process.

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By contrast, with her mainstream credentials burnished by four years as Obama’s secretary of state, Clinton enjoyed solid backing from the Democratic establishment. A surprising and spirited challenge emerged, however, from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist. He campaigned on reducing economic inequality, opposing trade agreements, easing student debt, and cracking down on Wall Street interests, a significant source of Clinton support. Sanders, who energized both young and grassroots voters, stayed in the race until the convention, pushing Clinton to adopt more-progressive policies.

Trump’s initial decision to run was greeted with derision by some GOP strategists. He had never held elective office and appeared out of sync with the party’s conservative base. Trump was a onetime supporter of abortion rights who had only recently changed his views, and he openly acknowledged having made campaign contributions to Democrats to buy political influence. He ridiculed opponents in both parties—often in personal terms that were widely viewed as politically incorrect—and made inflated promises and statements whose likelihood or veracity was questioned by major media.

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