Former U.S. President and Republican candidate Donald Trump achieved two significant victories in this year’s American presidential elections. The first victory was forcing current President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race after his disastrous performance in the first presidential debate last June. The second victory came with a landslide win over Democratic competitor Kamala Harris on November 5, 2024, where Trump secured 292 electoral votes while only needing 270, defying analysts’ predictions and American polls that suggested a closely contested race between two candidates in many swing states critical to determining the election’s outcome. Additionally, there were concerns raised about Trump’s election posing a threat to American democracy.
Multiple Implications
Trump’s victory in the presidential election on November 5, 2024, highlights several important political and social indicators reflecting the current state of the United States, which include the following:
Economic Concerns Are Paramount for Voters: Despite the Biden administration’s numerous successes in improving the economy, lowering inflation, and job growth, American voters were not sufficiently satisfied with the government’s economic performance. Economics was thus a priority for voters, who favored the Republican candidate’s approach to addressing these issues. Economic discontent played a central role in motivating voters to support Trump, as they believed he could restore economic stability and growth. His campaign’s focus on economic issues, such as job creation and controlling inflation, resonated strongly with working-class voters.
Acceptance of Trump’s Approach to Immigration and National Security: Trump’s hardline positions on immigration and U.S. domestic security proved crucial in his victory on November 5. His messages about securing borders and reducing illegal immigration increased his popularity among voters concerned about border security, especially following the surge of immigration during Biden’s presidency, which many voters believed had various economic, social, and security impacts. Trump’s focus on immigration and national security helped solidify support among conservative voters and some independents who prioritized stricter immigration policies.
Shifts in Minority Support from Democratic to Republican: The results of this year’s presidential election revealed shifts in support from segments of the Democratic base that were key to Biden’s previous victory towards Republican candidate Donald Trump, who made notable gains among minorities, especially Latino and Black men, particularly in pivotal swing states like North Carolina and Georgia that contributed to his electoral success. This shift reflects a broader trend of Republicans making inroads with minority voters through targeted messages regarding economic opportunities and social issues.
Collapse of the “Blue Wall”: Trump’s victory on November 5 was largely secured by his ability to dismantle the so-called “Blue Wall,” which comprises key states that were critical for Democratic victories in past elections. Trump won Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—states Democratic candidate Kamala Harris hoped to secure to bolster her chances of winning. The Democratic losses in these Blue Wall states indicate that Trump’s message resonated with working-class voters more than Harris’s calls for unity, social justice, and support for abortion rights.
Growing Discontent with U.S. Political Institutions: Trump capitalized on increasing voter discontent with American governance in many swing states to position himself as an alternative to traditional politicians who had failed to address issues in those states. Through his speeches, Trump emphasized that the “ruling class,” particularly the Democrats, had done nothing to improve economic conditions in American states, galvanizing a significant portion of dissatisfied voters under Democratic leadership to vote for him on November 5.
Broad Public Acceptance of Trump’s Social Agenda: The widespread public support for Trump reflects a notable acceptance among significant segments of the population of his rhetoric on pressing social issues, such as abortion, and his rejection of LGBTQ+ rights. He has also expressed opposition to gender transition procedures allowed for teenagers in the U.S. on multiple occasions.
Legal Challenges Did Not Impact Trump’s Electoral Chances: The 2024 presidential election occurred amid a situation where former President Trump faced several legal challenges, including criminal convictions and indictments. This prompted many analysts to speculate on the potential impact on Trump’s electoral prospects. However, the results of the November 5 elections showed that Trump did not experience significant political repercussions from these issues; his supporters largely viewed these legal battles as part of a Democratic plan to politicize the U.S. judiciary to prevent him from running as the Republican candidate capable of defeating the Democratic candidate. This narrative may have energized his base and reinforced their loyalty, motivating them to vote for him aggressively in key swing states.
Importance of Foreign Policy Issues in the Election Race: While foreign policy issues usually play a minimal role in U.S. presidential elections when the country is not facing external threats or engaged in wars abroad, the international context of this year’s elections—particularly the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict and the Israeli wars in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as Biden’s administration’s stance on these matters—affected voters’ attitudes and their support for Harris. There was particularly heightened opposition among Democratic voters—especially Muslim and Arab Americans—towards unlimited U.S. support for Israel, complicating Harris’s ability to dissociate herself from the Biden administration’s foreign policies, which led some voters to support Trump despite his previous stances regarding Muslims, or to support Green Party candidate Jill Stein as a punitive vote against the Biden administration for its foreign policies.
Weakness of the Democratic Party’s Election Messaging: The election results and Trump’s victory indicate the failure of the Democratic Party’s electoral strategy, which focused more on criticizing the Republican candidate and portraying him as a threat to American democracy in the event of a second presidential term. This approach detracted from formulating a unified electoral message centered on Harris’s accomplishments and electoral priorities and addressing the key issues of concern to voters, alongside limited engagement with American media, which affected her ability to articulate her vision and policies effectively.
Democratic Challenge
The results of this year’s presidential election, which saw Republican candidate Donald Trump winning against expectations of a close race, revealed that the Democratic Party is struggling to effectively engage with its core voter base, including progressives, Arab Americans, and Muslim voters who criticized Harris’s stance on the war in Gaza. This failure to connect with the party’s base may have contributed to decreased support for Harris in the presidential elections. Therefore, the election has highlighted many challenges ahead for the Democrats, prompting them to reassess their strategies to re-engage the core voter base they lost in recent elections.
