President-Elect Trump pulled off a stunning feat this election, gaining ground across virtually every demographic in America, even in groups that Democrats have traditionally had locked down. Despite the left’s best attempts to paint Trump as a villain to various communities, his numbers only surged, underscoring just how unconvincing the Democratic narrative may have been. Trump’s gains speak volumes about a voting base that felt the pinch of economic strain and saw him as the answer—not his opponent.
Trump’s numbers shone brightest in some of the most solidly Democratic voting blocks. He scored an impressive 10% jump among young voters, along with 7% more support from African Americans and a 6% boost from Hispanic voters. The Democrats tried to turn this trend around with a bit of strategic mud-slinging, seizing on an ill-timed joke from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Madison Square Garden rally, but Trump’s base didn’t seem fazed. Meanwhile, Democrats conveniently ignored comedian George Lopez’s controversial remarks about Mexicans at a Harris event, a classic case of selective outrage.
In their effort to tie Trump to controversy, even Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jumped in, encouraging Puerto Ricans nationwide to view the incident. Yet, Trump’s campaign didn’t skip a beat, with a robust effort in Reading, Pennsylvania—a stronghold for Puerto Rican immigrants—where he managed to sidestep any lasting damage. Harris made a last-minute dash to Reading herself, hoping to gain an edge among Puerto Rican voters, but the results showed that Trump’s economic message resonated more deeply.
The results were telling: according to exit polls, while Harris did take the majority of Latino votes at 53%, it was a noticeable drop from the 60% her party enjoyed in 2020. Many Hispanic voters voiced concerns about the economy and saw Trump as the candidate with the economic chops to tackle the situation. Trump didn’t miss a beat, rallying voters in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he promised Puerto Ricans and Hispanics a bright future, in stark contrast to the “poverty and crime” he warned Harris would bring.
Trump’s appeal wasn’t limited to Hispanic voters; he made strides among African Americans, particularly Black men, who gave him a boost in cities like Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Detroit. While the majority of Black voters still sided with Harris, Trump’s gains in these areas showed that his economic message had legs. Across demographics, Trump’s pitch to young voters also hit home, seeing a surge among under-30 voters—up to 4 in 10 this time around, compared to just 1 in 3 back in 2020.
Beyond the headlines about young and minority voters, Trump picked up modest but impactful gains among non-college-educated voters, men, and even women. Across the board, his campaign’s focus on the economy struck a chord with people feeling the squeeze of rising costs and job uncertainty. Voters who labeled their financial situation as “not so good” or even “poor” threw their weight behind Trump, with 52% to 86% in his favor depending on just how bad things felt.
In the end, these modest but widespread gains across a variety of demographic lines were enough to hand Trump the keys to the White House once again. Meanwhile, Harris’s support barely budged in any meaningful way. As one stunned news anchor noted, Harris “literally gained nothing.” To be fair, she saw a tiny improvement here and there—but let’s just say, you’d have to look really close to notice.
