Nov 10, 2024 Story by: Editor
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump defied expectations by breaking the “Blue Wall” for a second time. The question is, how did he achieve this?
Exit polls reveal significant shifts among Black and Latino voters in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. While Trump did not secure a majority of these groups nationally, he improved his performance with both compared to 2020. In Michigan, for instance, Trump gained 11% of the Black vote and 58% of the Latino vote, as per Washington Post exit polls. In contrast, in 2020, he captured only 7% of the Black vote and 44% of the Latino vote.
Pennsylvania, the Blue Wall’s largest state by electoral college votes, saw similar changes. Washington Post exit polls indicate that only 27% of Latinos in Pennsylvania voted for Trump in 2020, yet by 2024, that number rose to 42%. The shift among Black voters in Pennsylvania was less pronounced, with Trump gaining about 3%.
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania were once reliably Democratic, aligning with the party’s strong union backing and manufacturing economy stance. The Democrats’ pro-labor policies resonated with blue-collar workers, making these states key members of the Democratic coalition from 1992 to 2012. But in 2016, this allegiance changed as Trump narrowly won all three states. Analysts suggest the change was driven by working-class voters in rural, industrial areas who felt economically overlooked. Trump’s promises to revitalize the Rust Belt and bring jobs back to America struck a chord with these communities. However, the shift was temporary, and by 2020, the Blue Wall supported President Biden.
In 2024, Trump succeeded once more in dismantling the Blue Wall. Across the nation, the economy was the top concern for voters, and it was also the primary issue in these Blue Wall states. According to a CNN exit poll in Pennsylvania, 30% of voters identified the economy as the most pressing issue. Revitalizing the economy was a cornerstone of Trump’s campaign, contributing to his success in these pivotal states. Source: Fox Baltimore
