Donald Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” has become one of the most recognizable in modern US history. MAGA has taken on a life of its own, with the former president’s supporters using it as a badge of honor. Trump’s slogan has its roots in the history of the Republican Party. Ronald Reagan used the slogan: “Let’s Make America Great Again” and by essentially reclaiming the slogan, the Trump campaign is paying homage to Reagan’s legacy within the party. Leaders of the 2016 Trump campaign understood Reagan’s importance to many conservatives, and by using his slogan, they attempted to attach themselves to that history.

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Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 campaign slogan, “A New Way Forward,” is not as widely recognized as Donald Trump’s. However, candidates often start repeating various phrases that can blur the lines of the official slogan. For example, “We won’t go back” has become an unofficial motto of Harris’s campaign, as it highlights the contrast the campaign aims to highlight between Harris and Trump.

But where do these slogans come from?

Generally, these slogans are the fruit of the thinking of political strategists. Campaigns seek to have the essence of their campaign represented in a short sentence, which is much harder said than done. Often, these slogans do not stick in the public’s mind. For example? Do you remember Hillary Clinton in 2016? “When they go low, we go high.”

What about Mitt Romney in 2012? “Believe in America. »

But what about Barack Obama in 2008? “Change you can believe in” and later “Yes, we can,” a slogan inspired by the Spanish version, Sí se puede, used by the United Farmer Workers of America union.

You may remember all, some, or none of the items listed above. The truth is, a slogan alone won’t make or break a campaign. However, in MAGA’s case, the slogan has sparked a movement among GOP voters who support him, while another group seeks to distance themselves from party members.