After an unprecedented presidential election, Donald Trump will once again take office as America’s 47th president after securing 312 electoral college votes. Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris garnered 226 electoral votes and captured 48% of the popular vote, falling short despite a significant campaign effort.
In a striking turn from the 2020 results, Republicans managed to flip key swing states like Nevada, Arizona and Pennsylvania – states that Joe Biden had previously won. This shift in support highlights a renewed enthusiasm among Trump’s base and reflects a strategic focus on connecting with specific voter demographics.
“Rarely have we had a candidate who wasn’t the incumbent but was already so well-known to the American public,” said political science Professor Robert Hogan, the chair of LSU’s political science department. Trump’s broad name recognition played a significant role, according to Hogan, providing a strong foundation for his campaign to target voters in ways tailored to current public sentiment.
Notably, Trump saw a substantial increase in support from younger voters compared to 2020. According to the Associated Press, in 2020 61% of voters aged 18-29 supported Biden, while in 2024, Harris secured a slimmer majority of 51% among this demographic. Trump, on the other hand, captured 47% of the young vote this cycle – up from just 36% in 2020.
“Their support has propelled him to have a significant mandate for governing,” Hogan said. This growing support from young voters, especially young men, was pivotal. Trump’s appearances on popular platforms, including the Joe Rogan podcast, amplified his appeal and allowed him to connect with younger, predominantly male voters, bridging a gap that previous Republican candidates have struggled with.
Support among the working class also surged, with blue-collar voters turning out in droves for Trump.
“The working class came out hugely in favor of him,” Hogan said.
Trump also made unexpected inroads with the Latino community, winning 43% of the Latino vote this election cycle – up from 35% in 2020, according to the Associated Press.
“I really thought reproductive justice freedom, abortion, IVF, contraception and women’s rights narratives would be more significant, particularly with younger white women,” said LSU political science professor Melissa Flournoy. Despite these issues, Trump managed to capture 44% of the vote among women aged 18-44, a notable jump from 2020 when he received 37% of that demographic’s vote, according to the Associated Press.
The economy played a major role in voter priorities, with 39% of voters citing it as the most important issue facing the country in 2024, up from 28% in 2020. This shift underscored voters’ concerns about economic stability and inflation, which Trump made a main point in his campaign.
According to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office, voter turnout declined this election cycle. In Louisiana, turnout was around 61%, down from just over 70% in 2020.
Hogan suggested that this decline in turnout reflects a general lack of enthusiasm for the candidates.
“There’s some evidence, certainly in early voting statistics, that Republicans were a little more enthusiastic this time about voting for Donald Trump,” Hogan said.
By contrast, enthusiasm among Democrats for Harris appeared to fall short of what Biden enjoyed in 2020. Hogan pointed out that lower engagement from Democratic voters could be attributed to reduced enthusiasm for Harris as a candidate, which likely impacted overall turnout and the final results.
While Trump’s return to office signals strong engagement among his base, Harris’ campaign highlighted issues like social freedoms and economic equity that resonated with nearly half of voters. As both parties take stock of the results, the challenges may be bridging divides and building broader appeal to connect with a diverse electorate seeking representation on the issues that matter most to them.
The choices made in the coming years may well determine the path of American democracy – and the candidates who can inspire it.
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