Back in 2016, if you’d told someone Trump would snag the presidency, they might’ve laughed in your face. But hey, the guy did it. Fast forward to 2024, and, surprise, he’s done it again. So how’d Trump manage to pull a win this time around against Kamala Harris, after that rough loss to Biden in 2020? Let’s break it down, street-style.
First things first, let’s chat turnout. When Biden ran in 2020, people were fired up, folks. The turnout was off the charts at 66%. Fast forward four years to 2024, and it’s like everyone hit the snooze button on Election Day with a turnout plummeting to a mere 58%. Harris picked up only 67 million votes—a huge drop compared to Biden’s massive 81 million back in 2020.
What went down in those crucial swing states—places like Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada—was telling. Harris got caught off guard, losing over 730,000 votes compared to Biden in those key areas. Trump barely gained a smidgen of his own, but somehow that was enough for him to win those states.
Now, it wasn’t just any random drop in numbers. This time, it seemed like raw emotions were at play. A bunch of folks—particularly Arab-American communities like those in Dearborn—were seriously ticked off at Harris, mainly due to her and the Dems backing Israel’s ongoing antics in Gaza. The “Uncommitted” movement, driven by younger voices with a bone to pick, made their message pretty clear: they’d had enough and didn’t want a part in voting for someone tied to all that.
This disconnect showed big time in numbers. In places like Dearborn and Hamtramck, huge chunks of votes that went Biden’s way were just not there for Harris. Meanwhile, Trump saw an unexpected boost in those areas, with Jill Stein making her mark too, nabbing some impressive figures for a third-party contender.
Ultimately, it seems folks are tired of the same old same old, and they made a statement by not showing up for Harris like they did for Biden. They sent a message that blindly backing policies perceived as supportive of oppressive tactics isn’t going to cut it anymore. Trump didn’t exactly ride in on a wave of newfound love—it’s that Harris got dinged hard at the polls.
Important takeaway here? It’s a wake-up call, loud and clear: politicians need to tread carefully with foreign policies that hit close to home for voters. Ignoring the real issues on the ground—like the bloodshed in Gaza—comes at a steep price. This year, it was Harris who paid it.
