From: allin
Donald Trump secured a “sweeping victory” in the recent election, winning with 311 Electoral College votes compared to Kamala Harris’s 226 [08:30:30]. This represents an increase from his 2016 win of 304 electoral votes and exceeds Joe Biden’s 306 votes in 2020 [08:41:42]. He won all the supposed swing states “fairly resoundingly” [08:49:18].
“He won all the supposed swing States this year fairly resoundingly there’s there’s no real super close calls there’s some close calls but but pretty resounding victory.” [08:49:18]
Reasons for the Outcome
The victory is attributed to multiple factors, including the Democratic Party’s perceived missteps, economic issues, campaign strategies, and shifting demographics.
Democratic Party’s Missteps
One primary reason cited for the Democratic defeat is that “the bottom fell out of the democratic party” [09:11:00]. The party is accused of losing the “script” and alienating voters by using “judgmental labels” such as “misogynist, racist, fascist, transphobe” instead of engaging on substantive topics [09:28:00]. This strategy of using identities and genders to secure votes backfired, as people began to “think for themselves” [10:14:00].
The Democratic party’s agenda was seen as supporting de facto open border policies [22:36:00], soft-on-crime and Soros DA decarceral policies [22:41:00], and engagement in proxy wars like that with Russia [23:23:00]. These positions made the party “completely out of touch with what people want” [23:16:00]. The results are seen as a “cataclysmic dismissal of wokeism, of cancel culture, of judgmentalism” and an “ringing endorsement of a meritocracy” and “common sense” [11:45:00].
Economic Factors
A significant factor contributing to Trump’s victory was inflation and the economy [13:18:00]. Rising prices, such as a McDonald’s McChicken going from 3.89 in mid-2024, directly impacted people’s daily lives [31:36:00]. This economic impact, stemming from trillions of dollars in spending under the Democratic administration, was a key issue for voters [21:51:00].
Campaign Strategy and Media
Trump’s campaign focused on issues that resonated with voters, such as economic prosperity, safe neighborhoods, and predictable educational curricula [10:21:00]. He utilized alternative media, like long-form podcasts, to directly reach the audience, a strategy that Democrats reportedly “didn’t get” [13:00:00]. This direct communication bypassed traditional reporters and Legacy Media, whose credibility is seen as “destroyed” due to years of what some describe as vilification and “propaganda” against Trump [36:01:00].
The Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, was described as a “terrible candidate” who could not effectively communicate or defend the Biden-Harris record [13:47:00]. Her campaign spent nearly 1.4 billion, vastly outspending Trump’s 400-450 million [28:31:00]. Despite this spending, the Democrats suffered losses across presidential, Senate, House, and governorship races, suggesting that “money cannot overcome common sense” [29:18:00].
Shifting Demographics
A significant shift to the right was observed across nearly every demographic, including Black, Asian, and Hispanic voters, as well as younger age groups (18-29, 30-34) [16:18:00]. Hispanic and Asian populations showed the biggest shift [16:43:00]. This is interpreted as a belief in meritocracy among Asians and a preference for more traditional family values among Hispanics [16:54:00]. Young men, influenced by figures like Elon Musk and Joe Rogan, also showed increased voter turnout for Trump [40:02:00].
Impact on Political Parties
The election results suggest that the Democratic Party needs to “retool and get back to First principles” [11:41:00] and “tack to the center” to survive and avoid continued losses [29:26:00]. Some question whether the party’s affluent, overeducated, and non-religious base is “too out of touch to know they’re out of touch” and “too whiny and entitled” to cede control of the party [26:16:16]. If this current base maintains control, Republicans could maintain an electoral majority “as far as the eye can see” [27:08:00].
There’s a belief that the Democrats have become the “exact opposite” of their former positions, moving from being protectors of free speech to pro-censorship, and from anti-war to more entangled in foreign conflicts [40:40:00].
Policy Priorities for Trump’s Second Term
With Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, the Trump administration has a mandate to pursue specific policy items.
Government Reform and Transparency
A major theme is government reform, including significant efforts toward greater efficiency and reduced spending [53:05:00]. This includes potentially cutting trillions of dollars in federal spending, though passing such deep reforms through Congress will be challenging [53:41:00].
A “radical push to transparency” is anticipated, with calls for a “Twitter files for the government” to expose internal workings and potential collusion [01:12:25]. This involves declassifying billions of documents, which currently hinder transparency and allow bureaucracies to operate without public scrutiny [01:19:49]. The recent Supreme Court decision on the Chevron Doctrine, which reversed agencies’ authority to create their own rules, is seen as enabling this reform [01:26:20].
Key Appointments
With a Senate majority, Trump is expected to have “freer range on appointments” [52:09:00]. Potential cabinet picks include Bobby Kennedy Jr. for a significant role due to his stance on transparency and ability to reform bureaucracy [55:35:00], Vivek Ramaswamy, and Tulsi Gabbard (rumored for Veteran Affairs) [56:56:00]. There is concern about “neocons” infiltrating the administration, as they did during Trump’s first term [59:02:00]. Efforts are being made to name and shame those with opposing views to prevent their influence [59:57:00].
Local and State Election Trends
The election results also show a shift at local and state levels, particularly in California. Daniel Lurie, a moderate outsider, is projected to become the mayor of San Francisco, the first non-government civil servant elected mayor since 1911 [01:29:32]. In Los Angeles, District Attorney George Gascón was defeated by moderate Nathan Hochman [01:31:09].
California also passed Proposition 36 with over 70% support, which reverses aspects of Prop 47 that effectively legalized shoplifting [01:32:24]. These results indicate that even in deep blue states, citizens are “tired of having this agenda shoved down their throat” [01:50:00] and want a “correction” to policies enabling crime, homelessness, and drug use [01:53:00].
The Abortion Issue
The abortion issue, particularly after the Dobbs decision, has been a significant topic. While some believed it would drive women to vote against Trump, his stance of not favoring a national ban and leaving it to the states seemed to “inoculate himself” on the issue [01:38:11].
State-level outcomes varied:
- Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, and Arizona voted to codify the right to abortion and remove bans [01:38:32].
- Nebraska voted for an abortion ban after the first trimester [01:38:43].
- South Dakota voted against a right to abortion, prohibiting all abortions except when medically necessary [01:38:48].
- In Florida, an amendment to extend abortion access to 24 weeks failed to reach the 60% threshold, receiving 57% of the vote [01:35:54].
It is suggested that the issue’s salience at the federal level is “over,” as it has shifted to being a state-by-state matter, with pro-choice forces generally winning in most states [01:39:07]. States that ban abortion may face challenges in attracting residents and businesses [01:40:07].