Former U.S President Donald Trump is returning to the White House after securing victory in the just concluded election, defeating the incumbent Vice President and Democratic Party Candidate, Kamala Harris.
Also read; How Harris or Trump win will affect Nigeria Japa syndrome
In doing so, the 45th President of the United States of America accomplished the most stunning political comebacks in the history of the United States.
Having secured a surprise victory in 2016 over former first Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to become the 45th President of the U.S.A, Trump lost his bid for re-election in 2020 to President Joe Biden of the Democratic Party, and Vice President to Barrack Obama.
The Republican President in his first tenure as President was impeached twice, and has since been investigated, sued and convicted of multiple felony counts, counts many would argue are flimsy.
Despite all the headwinds, the Republican Candidate on Tuesday, secured victory at the polls to return to Washington as the 47th President of the country.
At the time of this report, Trump has secured 295 electoral college votes, against Kamala Harris’ 226 votes. He needs a minimum of 270 electoral college vote to win.
How did Donald John Trump against all navigate the “persecuted” waters of Washington politics to win a resounding victory in 2024, just four years after losing with many termed “controversial” election?
Fox News in its report after it called the election for Trump pointed to three reasons.
The very first reason is the “economy.” In 1980, Ronald Reagan, who was running to unseat Democrat incumbent President Jimmy Carter asked voters, “are you better off than you were four years ago.” the answer could have contributed to his landslide victory in the Presidential election.
In 1992, as Bill Clinton was running to unseat Republican President George H.W Bush. his campaign strategist coined the phrase “the economy, stupid,” as campaign focus point, in reference to the prevailing recession in the United States at the time. History records that Bill Clinton went on to defeat the incumbent President Bush.
In 2024, a Gallup poll conducted weeks before the election showed that 52% of the country felt they were worse off under the Biden-Harris administration than they were under Trump. Gallup reported that their economic confidence indicator was at negative 26. That low reading normally shows up only during recessions, signaling deep unease about the economy.
Several surveys and comments in the run up to the election showed voters were fed up with many things, chief amongst them being Inflation.
While Harris struggled to give a clear message of how she would turn around the economy, Trump campaigned with purpose, promising to reduce inflation, dump unpopular climate mandates, roll back regulations that are harmful, lower taxes and put the economy back on track.
Another concern of voters was unchecked immigration and rising crime. While Trumps opponent, Harris was unable to say how she would “turn the page” as she normally puts it, Trump was clear on what he would do to address this problem.
Trump promised to deport criminals in the U.S illegally, and secure the U.S borders, stemming the tide of illegal immigration.
Fox reported that Trump campaigned for All American, instead of the “slicing and dicing” favored by Kamala Harris.
At the polls, Trump won a shocking 54% Hispanic men compared to 44% who went for Harris, he improved his standing with Black voters, and also attracted more than 40% of Jewish voters in Florida, New York and Nevada.
Kamala Harris’ choice of running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, instead of popular Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is said to be the most consequential campaign decision she made.
In choosing one of the most progressive governors in the country, Kamala Harris confirmed that despite what she may say, that she remained the far-left San Francisco liberal who showed up in 2019, embracing the Green New Deal, banning fracking, and decriminalizing illegal immigration. In choosing Tim Walz, Harris took a progressive over a moderate, and lost not only someone that could have balanced her ticket, she lost someone that could have possibly delivered the key swing state of Pennsylvania.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
