People to remember from the unforgettable 2024 election

The 2024 national election is complete, and the Republican Party came away with some big wins.

Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States, joining Grover Cleveland as only the second president to serve two non-consecutive terms. Trump’s style and personality are polarizing, and his propensity to exaggerate, embellish and twist facts (like many politicians) was disturbing to some, but not enough to keep him from being elected.

What he did exceptionally well is expand his support across multiple groups, including people who have been largely ignored for some time. Indeed, his passionate and dedicated supporters were joined by the disgruntled who voted for change that propelled him to victory.

Republications also gained control of the Senate, holding no less than 52 seats, and held onto the House, giving Speaker Mike Johnson yet another two years at the helm, if his party permits. With Republicans in control of the executive and legislative branches (and a judicial conservative majority), there will be little resistance to what they wish to achieve.

As the fog of the election-driven political wars starts to lift, there were many who are worth noting, though some may get forgotten over time.

Election workers: All the voting precinct workers and administrators across the nation deserve praise for making what could have been a contentious day remarkably placid. Despite pre-election concerns of election fraud and problems at voting precincts, the day functioned remarkably smoothly.

Over 155 million votes are expected to be counted, , with a few states still not finished. The final tally will likely not top the nearly 160 million people who voted in 2020. The fact that people took the time to cast a vote is always a good sign, though the number of eligible voters who did not cast a ballot will still be nearly 90 million people. Any number of these people in a few key states could have changed the outcome, which is the case in every election. Election workers are the unsung heroes of this election and should be applauded for their dedication.

Dean Phillips: The Minnesota congressman called for President Biden to step aside back in October 2023 and was subsequently vilified by his fellow Democrats. In the end, his concerns had substance, and he was right, appropriately earning praise for his boldness. He deserves another chance for office in the future, given his courage to speak out when others were more concerned about party loyalty and optics rather than the well-being of the country.

Liz Cheney: A stalwart Republican, she placed country over party, both during the 2021 January 6 hearings and in speaking out about the risks of supporting Trump for president. Her Republican constituents in Wyoming abandoned her in the primaries, keeping her from regaining her seat in the House. She then proceeded to boldly campaign with Vice President Kamala Harris. She deserves praise for her standing by her beliefs, and country.

Adam Kinzinger: Another Republican, he spoke at the Democratic National Convention, expressing his concerns about electing Trump to yet another term as commander in chief. He demonstrated why principles trumped policies when making decisions about who he could support for president. He too deserves another chance to serve in the future, given how boldly he acted.

Nikki Haley: The former United Nations ambassador was the last roadblock for Trump to gain the Republican nomination. Though she has had many differences with the ex-president, in the end she supported him, placing his policies above his “personal flaws.” Her position may have reflected how many others felt, which clearly showed in the results.

Larry Hogan: The popular former governor of Maryland could not win the state’s open Senate seat. If voters were blind to party, Hogan would have easily won, particularly given the limited national experience of his opponent. Yet with control of the Senate up for grabs, Maryland voters supported party over person, placing headwinds that Hogan could not overcome. Though he will not gain a position in Trump’ administration, he deserves accolades for being true to his personal values.

Jon Tester: The three term Democratic senator from Montana could not overcome the headwinds he faced in a Republican-majority state. His Montana roots and western sensibleness could not persuade his home state constituents that he deserved another term to represent their interests. History has shown that he has served well, yet past performance was insufficient to overcome the partisanship headwinds he faced.

Elon Musk: The richest person in the world invested over $130 million in Trump’s campaign, and he is poised to reap a tidy return. Tapped to head up a new "Department of Government Efficiency” with fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, it remains to be seen what Musk’s influence over the Trump administration will be. Regardless, he showed that money can help move elections, even if voters ultimately make the final choice.

Joe Biden: The current president waited far too long to drop out of the race. Rallying support around Harris may not have been his ideal, but it was the only pathway available for Democrats to retain the White House under the circumstances, which ultimately failed on Election Day. He will be remembered for stepping aside when he likely did not want to.

Kamala Harris: She was thrust into the presidential race in July, and 15 weeks later, she fell short of her party’s goal. Working to overcome the headwinds of the Biden administration under which she served proved to be far too difficult. Whether she has another chance to run in the future remains to be seen. What is certain is that she did the best she could under the circumstances, and conceded defeat with grace.

The 2024 election will be memorable, for many reasons, and for the many people that contributed to its execution. We can only hope that the next four years will yield an abundance of positives for all as well.

Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D., is a professor of computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.