The electorate loyal to Trump no matter what
Unlike Kamala Harris, Donald Trump has a resolutely loyal electorate. Regardless of his convictions, his slip-ups and his controversial outings, he continues to support him, with 34 criminal charges against him, one conviction already handed down, and two cases still ongoing. “Thanks to his loyal supporters, it was possible that he would win, of course, but no one expected him to gain ground”explains Esther Cyna, historian specializing in issues of racism, political history and education in the United States in the 20th and 21st centuries. “Donald Trump succeeded in attracting people who had not voted for him in 2016, and especially new audiences, such as people of Latin American origin or of Muslim faith” she adds.
Rejection of the Biden administration
Donald Trump enjoys a significant advantage, not being in office. Throughout the world, incumbents are often penalized by the desire for change of their voters, who aspire to new approaches. Although Joe Biden is not a candidate himself, Kamala Harris, his vice president, is closely linked to his record. For four years, the geopolitical context was troubled. The Russian invasion of Ukraine; the Israeli invasion of Palestine and its repeated attacks in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen; but also American tensions with China have put American foreign policy at the center of concerns.
In addition, the current president suffers from marked unpopularity: 56% of Americans disapprove of his action. In question, not only his politics, but also his age. Even though Trump and Biden are only two years apart, many voters saw Trump as an energetic figure compared to the incumbent president, who has faced growing questions about his ability to govern.
The vision of women in power still too complicated in the USA
This is the second time that this has happened, a candidate for the White House has failed to rise to the head of the leading world power. Unlike Claudia Sheinbaum, elected in Mexico as the first North American president on October 1, 2024, Kamala Harris, like Hillary Clinton in 2016, failed to overcome the final obstacle. During the campaign, the former Secretary of State called on Americans to finally break “the highest, most difficult glass ceiling” by electing a woman to the presidency.
“It is above all revealing of one thing: Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris failed where Joe Biden succeeded. There are obviously mistakes to admit and recognize on the part of the Democratic party and we can analyze and overanalyze the Democrats' errors, but in fact, that does not explain such a defeat. The fact that she is a woman is no coincidence. »
These defeats can be explained in part by the popularity and strategy of their opponent, Donald Trump, who in both cases relied on an image of strength and virility, multiplying praise for authoritarian leaders and posing as “protector of women”adding that he would protect them “whether they like it or not”. His entire campaign was marked by insulting or condescending comments towards women, coming both from him and from his political and media supporters.
Why did Kamala Harris lose the presidential election?
Kamala Harris, for her part, did not use the gender argument: being the first female president in the United States. However, for many observers, the persistent misogyny in American society has been a notable obstacle, adding to the challenge of confronting an adversary who, through codes of exacerbated virility, has been able to seduce a significant part of the population. electorate, predominantly white men.
Trump's speech and media treatment
Throughout his campaign, Trump has manipulated the media by maintaining a divisive and sensationalist discourse that guarantees him continuous and massive coverage. By presenting himself as a outsider despite his status as a former president, he was able to seduce an audience that was wary of the traditional press, which he described as « fake news » on numerous occasions. This strategy allows him to bypass the analysis and criticism of traditional media, connecting directly with his electorate via social networks and conservative platforms.
The attraction of reactionary and racist discourse
Attacks on Kamala Harris and her racial identity, degrading characterizations of Puerto Rico as a trash island, hateful and degrading speech against Haitian immigrants, “it attracted. What Trump and the Republicans call traditional and religious values are in fact a reactionary and demagogic discourse about what the family should be..
A campaign of excess, appearances and speeches that disturb as much as they attract. She adds that the spectacular side still worked, “even better than in 2016” and that the candidate was underestimated by the Democrats. For the historian, Donald Trump played on the frustration of the American electorate who has lost their standard of living for several years now. He managed to channel this frustration, “by pitting men against women and so-called alpha men against homosexual men, for example”thanks in particular to very aggressive promotion on X.
