Midterm Trouble: What You Need To Know
By Crisbely Welsh
President Donald Trump's approval rating has reportedly fallen as low as 29% ahead of the midterm elections. As Florida's governor's race heats up, Barry University students weigh in on affordability, artificial intelligence and the issues shaping their votes.
With the midterm elections on the horizon, President Donald Trump's political standing has reached historic lows, creating a volatile political environment across the country. Polling results show that Donald Trump's approval rating has gotten as low as 29%. This is the lowest for any modern president at this stage in his term.
For context, the last time a president's approval rating was this low was during the 1992 economic recession with George H.W. Bush as the president. Strategists in both parties are closely watching these numbers as they plan their final campaign pushes.
Tensions are running high as many voters express frustration over the war with Iran, Trump's seemingly unwavering support of Israel, soaring gas and grocery prices, the depletion of oil reserves, and what they view as the unconstitutional actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Political analysts note that midterm elections often serve as a referendum on the sitting president, and numbers this low place added pressure on Republican candidates who share a ballot with him.
It is important to know what matters most to students and to act on it going into this very influential vote on Nov. 3. Whether you are satisfied with the current direction the country is taking or not, your vote is necessary to bring about the change you would like to see. Every ballot cast helps decide who will represent you and advocate for your future.
Rianna-Ashley Williams, a junior majoring in pre-professional biology and minoring in chemistry, believes voting to be the best way to bring real change as other actions have shown little improvement. She states, "Recently, protesting has just been risking your life for a lost cause."
Now, the race for Florida governor is set, with Republican Byron Donalds and former Republican-turned-Democrat David Jolly winning their respective primaries.
Byron Donalds, the Trump-endorsed candidate, seemingly is the favorite to win considering Florida is a Republican-leaning state. He has campaigned on lowering home insurance rates, modernizing government, expanding school choice and supporting a proposed constitutional amendment to reduce property taxes. He is also a very strong advocate in favor of artificial intelligence (AI).
Donald aims to build AI infrastructure and data centers, as he believes that they are essential for national security and economic competitiveness. Supporters say this vision would bring new jobs and investment to the state. Gabriella Ramirez, a sophomore Studio Art student believes, "A.I. does not create jobs. It does more harm than good."
On the other hand, David Jolly is running on affordability, arguing that Florida has become too expensive under long-standing Republican leadership. He plans to create a state-backed catastrophe insurance fund to cut property insurance costs and a 30% pay raise for public school teachers, and a statewide moratorium on new data centers until stronger environmental and consumer protections are in place. His campaign has framed these proposals as practical steps to ease the financial pressure on working families across Florida.
Gilus Delva, an Educational Leadership graduate student at Barry University, states, "As a public-school teacher myself, it has been so long since we got a raise. We have to fight for a raise, and usually it is just five percent or ten percent."
With Barry University students stating they are most politically motivated by the economy, the governor's race carries real weight on campus. Many students are working hard to manage their studies while also working to earn money.
This means that even if property insurance and taxes do not affect them yet, the rising cost of living still impacts them directly. Rent, groceries, gas, and tuition all add up quickly, and many students feel those costs every single day.
Questions about AI and data centers also connect to the careers students are preparing to enter, which makes the sharp divide between the two candidates on that issue especially relevant. Students graduating in the coming years will step into a job market that is already being reshaped by this technology, so the policies Florida adopts could influence the opportunities available to them.
For students and first-time voters, early voting and mail-in ballots offer flexible options for those with packed class and work schedules.
In Miami-Dade county, early voting commences on October 19 and ends on November one.
Local races, ballot amendments, and the governor candidates will all appear on the same ballot, and each one shapes the daily realities of life in the state. Taking a few minutes to review the full ballot ahead of time can make the voting experience much smoother.
Whatever the polls say, they only measure opinion. Elections are decided by the people who show up. Barry students have a responsibility to their family, friends and themselves to support the candidate who best shapes their future.
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