ELECTION 2024 RECAP: A Second Term of Donnie T
Donald Trump elected as 47th president while New Jersey experiences a red wave; despite not picking up any seats in the House and Senate.
Last night was a night for the ages, as former President Trump has been elected as the 47th president of the United States. Defeating Vice President Kamala Harris by a pretty sizable margin. A Trump victory became inevitable after he was shot in the ear at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. After that, the race was all Trump. Winning the battleground states of Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Once Trump won Pennsylvania, it was over for Harris. Alaska, Arizona, Maine, and Nevada are still too close to call at the time of the publishing of this piece. However, Trump is favored to carry Alaska, Arizona, and Nevada, which puts him at 312 electoral votes. Trump will become the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms.
The national red wave was also felt in New Jersey. Although Republicans did not pick up a single congressional seat, Trump never had a chance of winning the state. However, the margin of error is impressive. The closest race was in the 9th district, where Republican nominee Billy Prempeh fell a few points short to Senator Nellie Pou. There is a possibility that this will be a battleground district for the 2026 midterms.
Going into 2024, New Jersey Republicans had nothing optimistic to hang their hats on. In 2022, NJ Republicans were poised to flip numerous congressional seats during the midterm election, but they were only able to flip one seat where Tom Kean Jr. defeated incumbent Tom Malinowski, who now serves as the Hunterdon County Democratic Chairman. While the other competitive districts, 3, 5, and 11 resulted in a loss. The following year, NJ Republicans were projected to take back a majority in the Assembly and Senate, which led to a historic collapse on election night. Republicans were losing in districts they never should have lost, and a lot of incumbents underperformed which has been looked at as a surprise by many.
2024 was a step in the right direction for the NJGOP. It was not the candidate quality that led them to numerous victories, but the current political climate that helped many Republicans all across the board. There was no guarantee the Garden State would rapidly go red overnight, but the margin between Trump and Harris was exceptional. Going from losing to Biden by 16 in 2020 to losing to Harris by 4 this year should not go unnoticed.
What Led To A Trump Victory?
I do believe voters supported Trump not because of his attitude, the way he carries himself, or the crazy people he has in his inner circle like Laura Loomer and Kari Lake. It was the least of the voter’s issues, New Jersey Outlookers. People voted for him because the state of the economy is a complete wreck right now, the current state of the job market has made it nearly impossible to find fulfilling work, and the Americans who are working and have families to take care of are struggling to make ends meet. The economy is always a top issue in presidential and midterm years. Voters felt the weight in their pockets decreased so they voted for change. I have spoken with many people, some of whom I know, have struggled to find a good-paying job this year.
Another top issue that affected the outcome of the election was the border. In AZ, this was particularly a massive issue as illegal border crossings have skyrocketed under the Biden Administration. This has led to the deaths of so many innocent Americans. This includes Laken Riley, a college student at the University of Georgia where she was brutally raped and killed by an illegal alien.
Lastly, was the attempted assassination of Trump at his rally in PA. When he was grazed in the ear by a bullet, a lot of people felt sympathetic for him. The way he still got up after being shot showed the world how physically and mentally tough this man is. When most people would have stayed down, he stayed up.
What Does This Election Mean for Both Parties?
For the Republicans, the Trump era of the party moves on as the future, despite Trump being term-limited and will leave office on January 20, 2029. For the Democrats, this is their opportunity to rebuild and rebrand the party post-Biden Harris. Common sense voters will not go for higher taxes, antisemitism, and government waste.
I do hope that in the future, our country can go through less political divisiveness and have an understanding of those we may not always agree with. No politician is perfect. Voting for a candidate does not necessarily confess your love for them, but rather a chess move for the world we most desire.
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