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SMU Presidential Politics Class Studies Unique Election Year

NBC DFW

Originally Posted: October 12, 2016

Every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, students fill the seats at SMU’s Presidential Elections in American Politics class.

“This year is probably the most unique election,” said Political Science Professor Dennis Simon.

The class is offered every few years. Students study past presidential elections, and the current one.

There is an emphasis on women; from the top of the ticket to the voters who will elect the next President of the United States.

“Clinton ran ads about Trump and women early on,” Simon explained. “Women’s turnout now exceeds men’s. There are now women of voting age in the U.S. and they give the Democrats an advantage.”

On Wednesday night, the last part of the class focused on women. Specifically what Donald Trump said about them in a leaked Access Hollywood tape.

“To listen to the remarks he’s made about women and think that people can still support him,” said SMU senior Helen Dunn and undecided voter.

“There’s just no way that he can win this election,” said SMU senior Andrew Baldridge, an Army veteran and undecided voter. “The numbers are just not in his favor.

An Atlantic poll shows the gender gap is wide.

Donald Trump leads among men by 11 points, but Hillary Clinton leads among women by 33 points.

“There will be other weird elections,” predicted Simon. “A lot can happen in four years.”  READ MORE