Honestly, if you took a nap in early June 2024 and woke up in mid-November, you’d think you were hallucinating. The political landscape didn’t just change; it did a complete backflip. People keep asking how is the election going 2024 and the answer is actually that it’s over, but the aftershocks are still rattling every window in D.C.
Donald Trump didn't just win; he pulled off a sweep that most pollsters thought was a pipe dream. He locked up 312 electoral votes. Kamala Harris ended with 226. It wasn't particularly close in the end, despite the "margin of error" drama we lived through for months.
The Night the "Blue Wall" Crumbled
You've heard about the "Blue Wall" for years. Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. For Democrats, these are supposed to be the fortress. If they hold those, they usually win. In 2024, the wall didn't just crack—it imploded.
Trump took all three.
But it wasn’t just the Rust Belt. He cleaned up in the Sun Belt too, taking Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina. That’s seven for seven on the major battlegrounds. Seeing Nevada go red was a huge deal; a Republican hadn't won there since 2004 when George W. Bush was on the ticket.
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Why did it happen? Well, looking at the data from the Pew Research Center, the shift among certain groups was staggering. Trump nearly doubled his support among Black voters compared to 2020. He also pulled roughly 46% of the Hispanic vote nationally. For a long time, the "demographics is destiny" theory suggested that as the country became more diverse, Republicans would struggle. 2024 basically set that theory on fire and threw it out the window.
The Biden-to-Harris Handover
We can't talk about how is the election going 2024 without mentioning the wildest pivot in modern political history. Remember that June debate? The one where President Joe Biden looked, well, not great? It triggered a panic that eventually led to him stepping aside in July.
Kamala Harris stepped in with an incredible amount of momentum. The "Brat summer" memes were everywhere. She raised hundreds of millions of dollars in record time. But ultimately, she had to run a 100-day campaign while being tied to an incumbent administration during a time when people were really frustrated with the price of eggs and gas.
The Economy Was the Only Real Story
You can talk about "save our democracy" or reproductive rights all day, but for the average person in 2024, the election was about the checkout line at Kroger. Gallup polling showed that the economy was the top issue for 52% of voters.
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Voters didn't care about "macroeconomic indicators" or the "soft landing" the Fed was bragging about. They cared that their rent had gone up 30% in three years. Trump leaned hard into this. His pitch was simple: "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" For a majority of voters in swing states, the answer was a loud "No."
A Shift in Who Actually Shows Up
Turnout was interesting this time around. It wasn't quite the record-shattering 66% we saw in 2020, but at roughly 64%, it was still incredibly high. What changed was who turned out.
- Young Men: There was a massive surge in support for Trump among men under 30. We’re talking about a double-digit shift in some areas.
- Rural Dominance: Trump expanded his margins in rural counties that were already deep red. He squeezed every possible vote out of the countryside.
- The Education Gap: This is the new Great Divide in America. If you have a college degree, you likely voted for Harris. If you don't, you likely voted for Trump. This gap is wider than it's ever been.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Results
A lot of folks think this was a "stolen" election or a fluke. It wasn't. Trump won the popular vote by a couple of million. That’s the first time a Republican has done that since 2004. It wasn't just an Electoral College quirk; it was a national mandate.
Also, it wasn't just the White House. Republicans flipped the Senate, picking up seats in West Virginia, Ohio, and Montana. They also held onto the House, though by a slim margin. This gives Trump a "trifecta"—control of the presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
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Real Talk: The Legal Side of Things
Trump is now the first person to be elected president while being a convicted felon. He was convicted on 34 counts in New York earlier in 2024. In any other era of history, that would have been a campaign-ender. In 2024? It sorta just became part of the background noise. His supporters saw it as "lawfare," while his detractors saw it as proof he was unfit. In the end, it didn't move the needle as much as the price of a Big Mac did.
What Happens Now? Actionable Insights
So, the 2024 election is in the books. Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2025. If you're wondering how this affects your life right now in 2026, here is what you should be watching:
- Tax Policy: The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is a huge priority. Expect a massive push to make those cuts permanent or even expand them. If you’re a small business owner, keep your CPA on speed dial this year.
- Tariffs and Trade: Trump has promised a 10% to 20% across-the-board tariff on imports, and even higher for China. This could mean higher prices for consumer goods. If you’re planning a big purchase (like a car or major appliances), you might want to pull the trigger sooner rather than later to avoid potential price hikes.
- Immigration: We are already seeing a massive shift in border policy and a push for increased deportations. This has huge implications for the labor market, particularly in construction and agriculture.
- Regulatory Rollbacks: If you work in energy or tech, expect a lot of the Biden-era environmental and AI regulations to be paused or scrapped entirely.
The 2024 election wasn't just a political win; it was a total realignment of the American voter. The old rules about which groups vote for which party are officially broken.
Moving forward, stay focused on local elections. While the big show in D.C. grabs the headlines, your local school board and city council are where the most immediate changes to your daily life happen. Check your voter registration status now—even though the "big one" is over, there are always elections on the horizon.