What an incredible night. Donald Trump has made the greatest comeback in American political history. This will be written out for a very long time and you can only attribute it to his relentless pursuit of what he wants.
Let’s review where we ended up:
2024 Election Highlights and Key Takeaways
Undercounted Trump Surge: Once again, polls underestimated the "stealth Trump vote," as low-propensity and populist supporters turned out in force across nearly every state. Many voters who skipped the 2022 midterms reappeared, surprising analysts with a decisive push for Trump.
Historic GOP Popular Vote Win: Trump is on track to win the popular vote—the first Republican to do so since 2004. In a close race, he swept four of seven toss-up states (Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina) and is favored in the other three.
Key Issues Driving Trump Victory:
Economy and Immigration: Roughly 60% of voters cited these as their top concerns, with Trump dominating among voters who prioritized the economy by a 20-point margin and immigration by 76 points. Abortion, though significant, trailed behind and couldn’t tip the scales for Harris.
Rising Economic Anxiety: High prices and fears over economic instability gave Trump an edge, despite Harris’s stronger favorability on issues like middle-class support and women’s rights.
Dramatic Demographic Shifts:
Latino and Youth Gains for Trump: Trump made striking progress with Latino voters and younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials), while Harris underperformed with these groups compared to Biden in 2020.
Unexpected GOP Gains in Suburbs: Trump saw surprising growth in affluent, highly educated suburban areas, even in traditionally blue regions.
Harris Holds White Working-Class Support: While other key demographics shifted, Harris held steady with white, non-college-educated voters, matching Biden’s 2020 support.
House of Representatives: Tight Race for Control:
Republicans hold a slight advantage in the House, though many races remain undecided. Democrats performed better than expected, particularly in West Coast districts that have yet to finish counting.
Notable Wins and Losses:
Republicans flipped key districts in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Democrats flipped several seats in New York, including a dramatic turnaround in the 4th District, won by a slim margin.
Senate Swings to GOP:
Republicans secured a 52-48 majority in the Senate, with potential to expand to 54 seats. This majority marks their strongest Senate control in years.
Candidate Quality Challenges: Despite improved GOP recruitment, candidate quality played a critical role. Kari Lake’s polarizing reputation cost Republicans a Senate seat in Arizona, even as Trump won the state.
Gubernatorial Races: No Shifts in Party Control:
The 11 races resulted in no flips between parties, with Republicans retaining 27 governorships to Democrats’ 23.
Notable Democratic Wins: North Carolina’s Josh Stein won the governorship despite Trump winning the state, underscoring some Democratic resilience in state races.
Broader Implications: A Deeply Divided Electorate
Economic and Cultural Frustrations Fuel Trump: Trump's appeal rested on addressing economic concerns, immigration, and a frustration with elites, resonating strongly with millions of voters seeking change.
Harris’s Coalition Tested: Harris’s platform of stability and economic recovery resonated with women, college-educated voters, and urban communities, but failed to fully counter economic and immigration worries among a broader electorate.
Redefining the GOP Coalition: Trump’s voter base expanded to include not just traditional Republicans but also working-class Black and Latino voters—a reshaped coalition that could influence GOP strategy for years.
Likely GOP Trifecta Paves Way for Major Shifts:
With the House, Senate, and White House under likely Republican control, the GOP is positioned to implement sweeping changes. Trump’s administration could push for bold shifts in foreign policy, economic reforms, and an “America First” approach to trade and manufacturing.
Looking Forward: Trump’s victory signals a dramatic return, likely to bring ambitious, sometimes controversial changes that will challenge the status quo and define this new era in American politics.
And it looks like we’ll be winning elections for the foreseeable future. Here’s former Senator Claire McCaskill. She ALMOST gets it then she reverts to the typical Leftists nonsense.
So, in short, McCaskill credits Trump's win to angry fearful racist transphobes without better angels. Swing and a miss. And the perfect example of why they lost.
Only Claire’s first sentence was correct. She and the rest of that group still see anger and fear in front of them. Like covid and racism, they can’t stop seeing what is a part of themselves.