The 2024 presidential election will be historic no matter who wins

The 2024 statesmanlike title will travel to an extremity successful a matter of days.

Whatever nan outcome, history will beryllium made.

Vice President Kamala Harris would beryllium nan first female to service arsenic president of nan United States.

Donald Trump would beryllium only nan 2nd president successful history to triumph different White House word aft losing a first effort astatine reelection, and will person done truthful aft being nan first erstwhile president to beryllium convicted of a crime.

"You perceive inevitably each 4 years that this is nan astir important predetermination of one's lifetime, but location is nary mobility successful my mind that this is nan astir important predetermination of my lifetime, and astir apt nan astir important since 1860 erstwhile Abraham Lincoln was elected to nan presidency and nan destiny of nan state was successful nan balance," said ABC News statesmanlike historiographer Mark Updegrove.

Updegrove attributed nan historical quality of nan title not conscionable to Harris and Trump's backgrounds but, much importantly, to what is astatine liking for American populist and diplomacy.

"I've ne'er successful my life, again, seen specified a marked quality successful what nan candidates guidelines for and nan argumentation positions they person articulated," Updegrove said, noting Trump's attack to those issues is simply a stark departure from immoderate different modern U.S. leader.

Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump watches a video featuring Democratic statesmanlike nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arsenic he speaks astatine a run rally, Oct. 29, 2024, successful Allentown, Pa.

AP

It each comes aft an unprecedented run for some parties.

President Joe Biden announced his reelection bid successful April 2023 and easy won each authorities primary. But a historically-early statesmanlike statement pinch Trump successful precocious June derailed his run aft a mediocre capacity stoked Democratic siren astir his age.

Biden dropped retired of nan race successful precocious July aft weeks of unit from his ain party. He instantly endorsed Harris (the first Black and South Asian female to beryllium vice president) to return his spot atop nan ticket, and she officially claimed nan information pursuing an online delegate voting process successful early August.

Harris, connected shape successful Chicago, said they are each successful a "fight for America's future" successful her acceptance speech.

"It is exceptionally uncommon for statesmanlike candidates to switch definite roles successful nan mediate of nan campaign, period," said Brandon Rottinghaus, a governmental subject professor astatine nan University of Houston. "It was a chaotic infinitesimal for an already crazy cycle."

"Her information itself was historic," Rottinghaus added. "If she wins, it will break barriers that nan federation has been fighting to break since nan 1920s. For a federation that has been much challenged successful position of title relations to nominate and past elite a Black female is, by immoderate counts, progress."

Democratic statesmanlike nominee U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris holds a run rally successful Reno, Nevada, Oct. 31, 2024.

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Harris herself, however, has not made her title aliases gender a focal constituent of her campaign.

"That's smart because voters aren't willing successful making history truthful overmuch arsenic being happy pinch wherever nan state is going, and nan voters consciousness very mixed," said Jim Kessler, nan co-founder of nan center-left deliberation vessel Third Way.

ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce, successful nan last week of nan campaign, asked Harris straight what she thinks astir nan history she whitethorn make.

"I americium afloat alert of my gender and race," Harris responded. "And I cognize that it will beryllium very important successful position of nan solid that will beryllium broken. But I do not expect that anyone is going to ballot for maine because of my gender aliases race. It has to beryllium because I gain their ballot pinch a scheme to make their lives better."

On nan different broadside of nan aisle, Trump announced his 3rd bid for nan White House measurement backmost successful November 2022.

Since then, he's faced 4 criminal indictments -- 1 of which resulted successful a blameworthy verdict by a assemblage of his peers successful New York for falsifying business records successful narration to hush money payments made to an big movie prima successful nan closing days of nan 2016 campaign. (Trump has vowed to appeal).

Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump pauses during a run rally astatine Lee's Family Forum successful Henderson, Nev., Oct. 31, 2024.

Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

Trump besides faced a Republican superior pinch much than a twelve challengers, including his erstwhile vice president, but astir dropped retired earlier nan Iowa caucus and Trump won each but 2 authorities primaries. Trump accepted nan GOP information successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin, conscionable days aft he was changeable successful nan receptor during an attempted assassination.

"He's a study successful resilience and defiance, resurging contempt 2 impeachments, Jan. 6, criminality and consistently flouting antiauthoritarian norms during his presidency and arsenic a candidate," said Updegrove.

If he were to win, he would beryllium nan first erstwhile president since Grover Cleveland successful 1892 to triumph a non-consecutive 2nd term.

How will nan history books constitute astir nan 2024 campaign?

"The Democrats were quiet for a triumph and contempt having an incumbent president who was different performing good needed to energize nan summons dramatically," said Rottinghaus. "On nan Republican side, Trump co-opted nan Republican Party successful a measurement that made his information inevitable. I don't deliberation we ever had a business for illustration this successful nan modern era."