Three Misconceptions That Led to Donald Trump's Reelection
A Tale of Missteps: Dissecting the 2024 Democratic Defeat
Hey there! Let's dive into the messy aftermath of the 2024 election and decipher what went wrong for the Democrats, shall we?
Remember that fateful night when Kamala Harris was seemingly poised to take the oath as the President, but it wasn't meant to be? By morning, all major news outlets had projected Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. Indeed, it wasn't the loss itself that left the democratic party baffled, but the sheer margin and scope of it.
Kamala Harris's map of counties outperforming Trump by at least three points remained a blank canvas. Harris underperformed with women, winning them over by only 8%, compared to Biden's 12%. Latino Men flipped, supporting Trump by 10 points, after going for Biden by 23 points. Even though Trump lost among senior citizens, he more than made up for it with gains among voters aged 18-29, garnering an additional 13 points in this key demographic.
Analysts scratched their heads and started throwing around explanations. CNN's Joy Reid insinuated that Harris had a flawless campaign, boasting a star-studded lineup of celebrity endorsements. However, her argument was flawed for several reasons. First, Harris didn't have a flawless campaign – or else she'd be sitting at the Oval Office. And second, huge endorsements and a short campaign timeline could only carry a candidate so far.
Democrats pointed to widespread sexism and misogyny as another culprit, but our analysis uncovers some cracks in that theory. Hillary Clinton had won the popular vote by 3 million votes in 2016, yet sexism allegedly prevented the first female president. It was actually the electoral college that did them in. Plus, the democratic party had dominated the political landscape for over thirty years, so it seems implausible that overt sexism would emerge as a significant roadblock now.
We identified three main fallacies that explain both the 2024 defeat and the party's overall decline. Let's break them down:
1. Kamala Harris wasn't the best pick
The Democratic Party's recent stumble was selecting Kamala Harris as their nominee. Her supporters lauded her resilience after Biden dropped out, but the evidence shows she was an unpopular candidate from the start. After all, her 2019 campaign fizzled out before even reaching the primary. She entered the race as the only woman of color, aiming to channel the diverse coalition Barack Obama had. However, her journey was plagued by a lack of clear messaging and combative infighting among her team.
2. Identity politics doesn't simplify the electorate
Democrats focused on two issues: abortion and democracy. Yet, voters didn't vote for their stance on these issues, and the "Trump is a fascist, vote for us" campaign didn't sway many. The Democrats took their "supporter base" for granted, concentrating on issues that predominantly concerned the college-educated rather than focusing on the economy, which affected the average American more frequently.
3. The Republicans aren't the party of the elites anymore
Lastly, the Democrats were wildly out of touch with the needs and concerns of working-class Americans. They allowed the Republicans to define Harris as "Commie Kamala," failing to show how she would improve their lives. Instead of trying to accommodate these people, the Democrats belittled them and ignored their yearnings for the American Dream – good jobs, high wages, safe communities, and a better future for their children.
So, there you have it – the 2024 presidential election in a nutshell. The Democrats still bear the scars from a botched campaign and an out-of-touch approach to the working class. It's up to them to learn from their mistakes and focus on winning the hearts and minds of Americans, or more disappointments like this one may lie ahead.
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- 2024
- Democrats
- donald trump
- Election
- Kamala Harris
- Politics
- Republicans
- Tim Walz
Isaiah Muniz Dynamo
In the critique of the Democratic Party's loss in the 2024 presidential election, many factors were scrutinized. CNN's Joy Reid argued that Kamala Harris had a flawless campaign, but this was debunked as Harris's 2019 campaign had already faltered during the primaries, and her tenure was marred by a lack of clear messaging and infighting.
Moreover, the stereotypical approach to voters through identity politics didn't simplify the electorate, as seen in the Democrats' focus on abortion and democracy instead of focusing on more pressing economic concerns.
Lastly, the failure to resonate with working-class Americans was a significant oversight. The Democrats allowed the Republicans to define Harris as a communist, without effectively communicating how she could improve their lives. This disconnect from the average American and their aspirations for good jobs, high wages, safe communities, and a better future for their children proved costly in the elections.
