by Clara Johnson ’26 on November 7, 2024
News
Image courtesy of Rolling Stone
As of 5:34 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, Former President Donald Trump had gained 277 electoral votes, winning the presidential election and guaranteeing his return to the White House. This election ultimately came down to the seven swing states: Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia. Ultimately, Trump and Vance captured all seven of the swing states, including the “blue wall” states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania—the key states that Harris would have needed to secure the election. Ultimately, voter concerns about the economy superseded concerns about healthcare, reproductive rights, and the environment.
Additionally, the GOP managed to wrestle control of the Senate with Ohio’s Bernie Moreno flipping the incumbent Democrat’s seat and West Virginia’s Jim Justice winning the seat vacated by Joe Manchin’s retirement. The GOP also stands poised to take control of the house, though, as of Wednesday evening, that remains undecided. Along with a conservative judiciary, power in this country has been concentrated in the hands of the Republican Party.
This election has been one of the most intense and unprecedented in American history, revealing divisions that have become entrenched in our culture. One aspect of this election that is particularly notable is that Trump undid the Biden map, reflecting his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton. This election saw strict gender divides, a divide which both candidates played to, with Harris focusing on reproductive rights and Trump attempting to motivate men to vote. Trump also managed to make large gains among Latino men, winning this demographic by eight points and cementing Florida as a right-leaning state, rather than a battleground. Ohio, the home of JD Vance, also joins the ranks of solidly red states after being a traditional battleground state, with the motivation of rural voters. He also motivated rural voters, a demographic that has been traditionally less active, to engage with this election. This election also marks the first time that a convicted felon has won the White House.
While Trump supporters and Republicans celebrate these results, concerns ring out about the state of democracy in the wake of this controversial election and the GOP dominance in all branches of government. Many also worry about the deep divisions that have emerged from this election and how society can proceed after the votes are counted.