I believe the "taking the scalp" could also be a reference for its intended offensive power, not just the scandal of using it. In that light, the answer is obv

I believe the "taking the scalp" could also be a reference for its intended offensive power, not just the scandal of using it. In that light, the answer is obvious: Hillary Clinton! (And before someone complaints, which someone will definitely still do: Given the extremely close election, it is possible, even likely, that any single one of maybe a dozen issues had the potential to change the outcome: Just being a bit better as a candidate would have been enough. That e-mail "scandal" getting the same attention as the dozens of carbon copies of it since revealed in the Trump Cabinet, i. e. none, would have sufficed. Defences against Russian interference, or even just widespread knowledge of the attacks, could have been enough etc. etc.