The Shape of Things in U.S. Election 2016: A Non-American View

Abstract

The U.S. presidential election 2016 has defied conventional notion of U.S. politics for both American voters and for U.S. election watchers outside the United States. Roughly a year ago, one would have safely assumed easy nomination wins for Hillary on the Democratic camp and mainstream Republicans like Jeb Bush on the other side. However, the rise of two insurgent voices within both parties turned the nomination cycle on its head. Many were kept wondering, as to what was transpiring among American voters, and many still wonder how Donald Trump became a Republican nominee, or how Bernie Sanders gave Hillary a run for her money.