So, why is it that these two are leading their respective races? In Hillary's case, she already had supporters going into the race. She has run before, she appeals to minorities and women, she has the experience, and the pledged support of much of the Democratic party. In addition to all of these things, she definitely has name recognition. She had a leg up on Sanders and the rest of the Democrats going in, because no one had to be told who Hillary Clinton is. What is amazing, though, is that Clinton's name recognition is not entirely positive. The Clinton name is commonly associated with scandal, and there are a couple scandals to choose from. Do we recognize her for her cheating president husband or for the fiasco that is Benghazi? And yet, she is still in the lead. Hillary is quite amazing, actually. She has managed to capture the attention of the American voters, and not only distract them from the fact that she is under criminal investigation, but re-direct their attention to all the reasons why she needs to be their next president. This phenomenon is a combination of a few factors. First, Hillary and her team know how easily distracted and quickly bored the American public is. The best way to avoid taking responsibility for something is to just let it blow over, because it will. Americans treat nearly everything like a fad, and when we get bored, it's just a distant memory; so just play it cool for a while, and everything is kosher. Next, Clinton is very good at knowing her demographics. Instead of trying to appeal to new demographics, Clinton has used the demographics she already has and has worked to expand them so that she appeals to more voters without overstepping or stepping into uncharted waters. The next factor applies to both of the Democratic candidates. The Republican race is such a circus in comparison to the Democratic race that the Democrats have been able to relax a bit as the Republicans thin each other out, and the Democrats can just pick a few points on which to criticize the Republicans and do their best to show how much more sane they are. I think this factor has really benefited Hillary, as she has been commonly perceived as a bit nutty. The opportunity to look sane has really helped her.
Trump's situation is a bit ironic. The aspects of Trump that make him positively un-electable in the eyes of his critics are the same things that are pushing him to the top. Trump comes from outside the government, which to many means that he does not know anything and is unqualified to be president. However, to others, this is his most attractive quality. Polls show that the American public has a strong distrust for the government, making someone from outside the establishment their saving grace. The same applies to Trump's offensive words and inflammatory attitude. For some, this is unacceptable, and everything that we cannot have in a president; but for Trump's supporters, this only reinforces his authenticity, and the fact that he is not a politician. Politicians can't say the things that Trump says because of the backlash they would receive, but Trump can say whatever he wants, exciting his supporters, and allowing him to stomp all over the other Republicans who are much more limited in their ability to retaliate.
The front-runners are not necessarily the most qualified of the candidates, or even the ones who appeal to the most people. They are just the best at playing the game. More interestingly is the apparent phenomenon by which these opposing candidates are actually building each other's followings. As the race continues, more people seem to have decided that the general election will be Trump versus Clinton, and their opposition for one of these candidates translates to support for the other. This is by no means scientific, but it is becoming more and more common. Maybe it's time these two starting thanking each other for being so unlikeable.
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