How Trump won the presidency (again)
Image: Axios
President-elect Trump’s decisive victory over VP Harris in the 2024 election came as a surprise to many, with Trump likely ending up the victor in all seven key battleground states and also taking home the overall popular vote (the first Republican to do so since 2004).
Here are some key takeaways from the Trump campaign’s win:
Trump gained ground in nearly every key demographic compared to 2020. The president-elect picked up a small but significant share of Black and Hispanic voters compared to 2020, and also made narrow gains with men, women, and every age bracket outside of 65+ (where he neither gained nor lost support). Additionally, Trump gained ground among urban, suburban, and rural Americans, while his support also increased among people both with and without a college degree.
Trump’s youth-targeted media blitz proved successful. While both Trump and Harris leveraged a mix of traditional and new media channels to reach young voters, the scale of Trump's outreach was bigger and broader – including interviews with Theo Von, Logan Paul, Adin Ross, and Joe Rogan.
- These efforts paid off in a big way for Trump, who won a greater share of the under-30 vote than any Republican presidential candidate since 2008.
- And while Harris won 52% of 18- to 20-year-olds, that was down from the 61% who voted for Biden in 2020.
Polls show Trump’s campaign was more in-tune with what voters want. According to exit polls, voters ranked the economy and illegal immigration as two of the most important issues facing America today – both of which were major campaign themes for Trump.
- And when voters were asked what quality mattered most to them in a candidate, nearly 60% said they wanted either someone with “the ability to lead” or who could “bring about needed change.” Trump dominated among that group, winning ~70% of their votes.
📊 Flash poll (long-form): What’s your take on how the 2024 presidential election played out? The most thoughtful responses will be featured in Monday’s newsletter.
See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some analysts argue that Trump’s victory is proof that this is who we are – a country that actively and happily voted for hate, chaos, and division, and that America is not “better than this”.
- Other commentators contend that Trump’s victory is much worse and more terrifying than in 2020, because, this time, Americans had no excuse and knew exactly what they were voting for.
- “Trump wins 2024 election. America needs to admit it's not 'better than this.’.” –Rex Huppke, Hamid, USA Today
- “Trump’s win is so much worse this time. Americans knew what they were voting for.” –Emma Brockes, The Guardian
- “Understanding the Trump triumph — and the Democrats’ debacle.” –Washington Post Editorial Board
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that the election results have given Trump a second chance to prove himself to the nation as a leader and that he must choose his actions carefully in regard to policy and character.
- Other analysts contend that Trump’s victory is a sign that Democrats have failed to properly recognize just how many Americans saw something in Trump that spoke to them - and that this is a tough lesson they must learn from.
- “Trump Wins the Election and a Second Chance.” –Wall Street Journal Editorial Board
- “Donald Trump’s win was a stunning repudiation of the chattering classes.” –Chicago Tribune Editorial Board
- “Democrats must learn from election loss – but will they?” –Boston Herald Editorial Board
Share this!
Recent Discussion stories
Discussion
  | November 6, 2024Republicans are poised to sweep the 2024 election
🗳️ Election Day is officially in the books. Now, Americans’ collective attention has turned to the results of key races across the country. Here’s what we know so far.
Discussion
  | November 1, 2024A significant number of Americans have become election liars
🤥 Who did you vote for? To many Americans, including half of Gen Z, that question has turned them into Jim Carrey in Liar Liar when talking to people close to them, according to a new Axios Vibes poll.
You've made it this far...
Let's make our relationship official, no 💍 or elaborate proposal required. Learn and stay entertained, for free.👇
All of our news is 100% free and you can unsubscribe anytime; the quiz takes ~10 seconds to complete