Kamala Harris failed to become the first female president of the United States. The electoral thriller that analysts and pollsters expected never happened. Donald Trump is making a triumphant return to the White House after Americans swung far less than expected.
The Republican leader managed to win over disillusioned voters by promising to put “America forward.” He was able to split the Democratic alliances, use political shifts in the electorate to his advantage and take advantage of Americans’ concerns about the course of the economy.
The blame-game in the Democratic Party
Some Democratic officials who took part in Kamala Harris’ election campaign are already “pointing” to one person responsible for Harris’ defeat: President Joe Biden.
CNN reports that many on Kamala Harris’ staff are blaming Joe Biden’s decision to seek re-election for a second term instead of keeping his 2020 campaign pledge to be a “transitional president.”
Why did pollsters fall out in the US election?
If, now, Biden had decided not to run for president in 2024, we would have a battle among the Democrats to choose the next candidate. Even more, there would be time for the candidate to organize and “run” his own campaign.
Biden’s decision to stay in the race despite Democratic officials raising concerns and drop out as recently as July left Harris with no choice but to run an unusually short campaign. As many had so eloquently pointed out: Harris had just over 100 days, Trump had been on the campaign trail for years.
Besides, it is recalled that from the disastrous debate with Donald Trump to the decision to withdraw from the election campaign, about a month passed for Biden.
During this time, the voices within the Democrats were multiplying that the president should withdraw from the elections. Dozens of officials, even front-runners like Nancy Pelosi, had said in one way or another — and in the end openly against a sitting president — that reason should prevail and step aside for another candidate.
Women and youth
However, the concerns run deeper. Two groups Harris relied on to defeat Trump—young voters, believed to be motivated by issues like climate change, liberal values and her social media savvy, and women worried about shrinking rights on abortion under a Republican, they went against him.
Trump’s overall share of voters under 45 increased by two percentage points from 2020, as did his share of female voters, Edison Research exit poll data show. Donald Trump also increased his percentages in several suburbs where Democrats thought they already enjoyed support.
The shift occurred even as Harris’ campaign team insisted the race was close and that she was picking up new voters.
A Democratic National Committee official said he was receiving angry messages from party members late Thursday night. “They feel the campaign team lied to them,” the official said.
Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric
In addition, Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric appears to have struck a chord with voters even in Democratic strongholds like Connecticut and Massachusetts, mirroring a trend in many liberal Democrats where newcomers are blamed for expensive housing and other costs. .
For example, Canada’s Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has cut immigration rates under criticism from the right, and European far-right parties are pledging to tighten immigration regulations while siphoning votes from the center-left.
Harris’ loss is the second bitter defeat for Democrats by Trump in the last three elections. Hillary Clinton‘s defeat in 2016 paved the way for Biden’s candidacy.
A convicted felon with unorthodox economic proposals, including blanket tariffs on imports, Trump will cost American consumers and businesses dearly, economists say. Additionally, his plans to deport millions of people who are in the country illegally will upend industries and communities.
However, Trump was boosted by Latino voters and won easily in Georgia and North Carolina, states where Democrats believed they were competitive. Harris’ lightning campaign, which was built around an inclusive vision of the US and stronger economic support for families, had emphasized hope and positivity.
But Biden and Harris’ support for Israel in its attack on Gaza has divided the Democratic Party, with many progressive Democrats unsuccessfully calling for the US to cut aid to Israel. This cost votes among left-wing Democrats.
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