It felt like the entire world held its breath on November 5, 2024. If you were scrolling through news feeds that night, you saw the maps flickering from gray to red and blue, but the finality of it didn't take long to set in. Honestly, the answer to who got elected president 2024 is straightforward, yet the story behind the numbers is anything but simple.
Donald Trump didn't just win; he pulled off a political comeback that most pundits said was impossible four years ago. By the time the dust settled, he had secured 312 electoral votes, comfortably cruising past the 270 needed to take the White House. Kamala Harris ended the night with 226. But what really caught people off guard was the popular vote. For the first time since George W. Bush in 2004, a Republican candidate actually won the raw count of voters across the country. Trump brought in about 77.3 million votes compared to Harris’s 75 million. It wasn’t just a narrow Electoral College victory; it was a broad shift in the American landscape.
The Night the Map Turned Red
Early on, everyone was watching the "Blue Wall"—Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. These were the states that were supposed to be Kamala Harris’s insurance policy. But as the returns started trickling in from places like Lackawanna County and the outskirts of Detroit, it became clear that the wall wasn't holding.
Trump swept all seven of the major battleground states. That includes:
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- Arizona
- Georgia
- Michigan
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Wisconsin
Seeing Nevada go red was particularly striking. A Republican hadn't won there in twenty years. It sort of signaled that the old rules about which states "belong" to which party are basically out the window now.
Why the Swing States Flipped
People often ask what changed. If you look at the data from the Pew Research Center, it wasn't just one thing. It was a massive realignment of how different groups of people see their own interests. For example, Trump nearly doubled his support among Black voters compared to 2020. He also made huge gains with Hispanic men, winning nearly half of the Latino vote nationally. That's a massive shift that left the Democratic strategy in a bit of a tailspin.
Basically, the "urban-rural divide" we always talk about got even wider. In rural communities, Trump’s support surged to nearly 69%. Meanwhile, Harris saw a drop in turnout in deep-blue strongholds. In Los Angeles County alone, turnout dropped by about 14% compared to when Joe Biden ran. You can’t lose that kind of momentum in your home base and expect to carry the swing states.
The Issues That Actually Moved the Needle
So, when we look at who got elected president 2024, we have to ask why. If you ask a voter in Scranton or Phoenix, they probably aren't talking about "grand strategy." They're talking about the price of eggs.
According to post-election surveys from PRRI, 56% of voters said the cost of living was the absolute most critical factor in their decision. Trump hammered this point home every single day on the trail. He made the election a referendum on inflation and the "Biden-Harris economy." For a lot of families, that message landed.
Immigration was the other heavyweight. The Trump campaign’s focus on the border and "America First" foreign policy resonated with people who felt like the country was losing its grip on its own interests. On the flip side, the Harris campaign leaned heavily into protecting democracy and reproductive rights. While those were huge motivators for her base—91% of liberal Democrats showed up for her—it just wasn't enough to sway the middle-of-the-road voters who were more worried about their bank accounts.
A Historic Return
Trump is now the second president in U.S. history to serve two non-consecutive terms. The only other person to do that was Grover Cleveland way back in 1892. It’s a rare feat that speaks to how much he has fundamentally reshaped the Republican Party into his own image.
The certification process on January 6, 2025, was remarkably quiet compared to the chaos of four years prior. Kamala Harris, in her role as Vice President, presided over the session and officially announced her own defeat. It was a moment of intense irony but also a return to the standard "pomp and circumstance" of American transitions. JD Vance was there too, officially becoming the Vice President-elect before being sworn in on January 20.
What Happens Now?
Now that we know who got elected president 2024, the focus has shifted entirely to what a second Trump term actually looks like. This isn't 2016 anymore. The administration arrived with a much more defined plan, often referred to in the media as the "Golden Age" agenda.
Key priorities include:
- Economic Reform: Aiming for across-the-board tariffs and a major overhaul of the federal bureaucracy.
- Energy Independence: Rolling back regulations on fossil fuels and exiting international climate agreements again.
- Border Security: Implementing what the campaign called the "largest deportation operation" in history.
- Government Restructuring: Freezing hiring for non-essential federal roles and targeting "DEI" programs within the government.
The landscape of American politics is fundamentally different now. Whether you're thrilled or worried about the outcome, the 2024 election proved that the electorate is more fluid than we thought. The "standard" coalitions are breaking apart, and new ones are forming in their place.
If you're looking to keep track of how these new policies will affect your daily life, the best thing to do is watch the first 100 days of the administration. Pay close attention to executive orders regarding trade and energy, as those often have the most immediate impact on market prices and employment. You might also want to stay updated on local state-level responses, as many "blue" states are already preparing their own legal challenges to federal policy shifts.
Next Steps for You:
- Monitor Federal Appointments: Keep an eye on who is being tapped for the Department of Labor and the Treasury, as these roles will dictate the new economic path.
- Review Your Tax Strategy: With the "America First" trade policies and potential changes to the tax code, it’s a good time to consult with a financial advisor about how your investments might be affected by new tariffs.
- Stay Local: Follow your state’s legislative sessions to see how they plan to navigate the shift in federal funding and oversight.