What would it take for you to vote for Donald Trump?

We all know that tactical campaigning in the presidential race is critical for candidates to secure both a party nomination and presidency.

With the primaries coming to a close, we’re presented with the reality that Donald Trump will most likely become the Republican nominee, and can now observe how he will adjust his views so that they are more in line with the center of the political spectrum.

We asked college students how they feel regarding Trumps current position and how they interpret his movement towards a more moderate platform and whether or not it will win them over as voters.

Raphaela, 20, Lafayette College

How do you feel about Trump’s current position in US politics?

Trump’s current position in US politics becomes progressively more baffling to me with every public appearance and interview. As a potential voter, I am instantly turned off by the way he carries himself and his immaturity and ignorance when dealing with sensitive issues. I think they speak even louder than his views, although I equally disagree with them as well. His current stances in the issues he presents are so dramatic and polarizing, which to me screams that he is untrustworthy.

Do you see yourself as an undecided voter or are you currently leaning towards one party or candidate?

Currently I would say that I am undecided. Given the level of disagreement within the parties themselves, I honestly don’t find myself leaning too far either way.

With Trump’s movement towards the center, distancing himself from the Muslim immigration ban and agreeing to raise the minimum wage among other things, do you see your views on Trump changing?

I think the problem is the image of himself he has already imprinted onto the collective psyche. Whether people respond positively or negatively to it doesn’t matter as much, because its already there. For me personally, I find it hard to even hear the content of what he is presenting because I don’t like how aggressive he comes off as. I would have to be actively trying to change my views on him at this point. If his stances change that dramatically, it would have to be accompanied by a proportional change in his public personality in order for me to truly change my views.

What would it take for you to decide which candidate to vote for, would Trump need to further “evolve” his views or has he lost you as a potential voter?

I would have to like a candidate on two levels: stance on national issues, and character. My opinions do not tend to reach any extreme end of a spectrum usually, so I would probably be more comfortable supporting a candidate who isn’t preaching extremes of any kind. On top of that, I think that public image is extremely important for a candidate. The bottom line is, you present yourself in the public eye the way you want people to see you. At this point, I think Trump has already presented himself in both character and stance in a way that I completely disagree with. But at this point, if he was able to change his image and his views that dramatically, that would be just as unsettling, so I think he has lost me as a potential voter.

Mike, 21, George Washington University

What do you think of Trump’s role in this election?

I feel it’s an embarrassment to the country, not so much for his views but his behavior. The election has become a complete circus, and he probably deserves the lion’s share of the blame for that.

How do you see yourself as a voter, and are you leaning towards one candidate in particular? 

I’m leaning toward voting for Gary Johnson for the Libertarian Party. I was planning on voting Republican this election unless Ted Cruz or Trump was the nominee because I don’t really like Hillary or Bernie. So, I will not be voting for the GOP.

Will Trump becoming more moderate and his adoption of more universally-accepted views change how you see him?

Nope, I’m actually more put off by him changing his views; for someone who was trying to present as an “outsider” who wasn’t a lying politician, he’s been acting an awful lot like a real “politician”

Has Trump totally lost you as a voter? Would he be able to win you over still? 

He has definitely lost me as a potential voter, simply because of his discourse. If he had a different, less hostile rhetoric throughout the campaign, and had different economic positions, I might have considered it.

Jamie, 21, American University

What do you think of Trump’s position in US politics?

Trump has no position on US politics. He never has, for years has been spewing unthought-out opinions on every issue. He might be a good businessman, but he knows nothing about politics, both domestically and internationally. There’s no viable plan for anything he says to be followed through, and I honestly think people vote for him because he’s “non-PC”, a businessman. Since he’s not currently in a government position, people view that as being more honest. He can speak for days, and nothing constructive but systematic hatred comes from it.

How do view yourself as a voter? Who would you support?

I’m a third party voter at the moment. I’m more conservative crossed with libertarian, which is why I have and always will support Rand Paul. I’m part of the Never Hillary, Never Trump movement. As much as I think  that a third party vote is a waste, I don’t know which candidate I hate more (and I’m a registered Republican, not an independent, which is sad).

Will Trump distancing himself from his hold policies change how you feel about him? Has he lost you as a potential voter? 

Of course Trump is distancing himself from his old policies, he’s always done so. Back in the day he used to be as liberal as anything, swiveled right of that, ruined the GOP, and is flip-flopping again. He’s nothing more than an uneducated voter, and I would never vote for a man who is so self righteous.

Do we want a less extreme Trump?

While only three interviews were published, the process of speaking to and questioning several other young student voters has shown that they are, as a majority, unswayed in their opinions on Trump regardless of how he attempts to shift his politics to appeal to them. Some students are more torn, believing Trump’s policies on Muslims and his general demeanor is wrong and backwards, but support the idea of a less politically correct candidate running for office. The general view shared by many voters reflects the desire for an anti-establishment figure in politics, but the majority of the people that I spoke to are disappointed that Trump has risen to take that role.

We seem to be in a presidential race where the winner will be the candidate who is least disliked, rather than the one who has more support.

As the primaries draw to a close and the presidential election campaigns begin, we can expect see both Clinton and Trump continue to make steps to secure the moderate and undecided voters.