How Trump Won in 2024: A State-by-State Look at America’s Political Map
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Former President Donald Trump has secured a historic comeback victory in the 2024 presidential election, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris to become America’s 47th president. According to CBS News, Trump’s win in Wisconsin early Wednesday morning pushed him past the 270 electoral votes needed for victory, ultimately securing 291 electoral votes.
The Electoral College Shift
One of the most striking aspects of this election is the redistribution of electoral votes compared to 2020:
Key Changes in Battleground States
- Georgia (16 electoral votes): From Democratic to Republican
- Arizona (11 electoral votes): From Democratic to Republican
- Pennsylvania (19 electoral votes, down from 20): From Democratic to Republican
- Michigan (15 electoral votes, down from 16): From Democratic to Republican
- Nevada (6 electoral votes): From Democratic to Republican
- Wisconsin (10 electoral votes): From Democratic to Republican
The New York Times reports that Trump improved upon his 2020 performance in both red and blue states, with particularly strong showings in the crucial swing states that determined the outcome.
The Closest Races
According to BBC News, several states were decided by remarkably thin margins:
- Wisconsin: Trump won by just 0.9% (49.61% vs 48.71%)
- New Hampshire: Harris held by 2.78% (50.66% vs 47.88%)
- Nevada: Trump flipped by 3.12% (50.60% vs 47.48%)
- North Carolina: Trump won by 3.33% (50.92% vs 47.59%)
- Minnesota: Harris maintained by 4.24% (50.92% vs 46.68%)
Regional Power Shifts
The Sun Belt gained significant electoral influence in this election:
- Texas: Increased from 38 to 40 electoral votes
- Florida: Grew from 29 to 30 electoral votes
- North Carolina: Gained one vote, now at 16
Meanwhile, the Rust Belt saw declining influence, with several key states losing electoral votes:
- Pennsylvania: Dropped to 19 electoral votes
- Michigan: Reduced to 15 electoral votes
- Ohio: Decreased to 17 electoral votes
This shift in electoral power from the Midwest to the South and Southwest reflects the changing political geography of the country, with growing importance of Sun Belt states in determining presidential outcomes.
The Urban-Rural Divide Deepens
While Harris maintained strong support in major urban centers, Trump’s dominance in rural and suburban areas proved decisive. In Pennsylvania, for example, The New York Times reports that despite Harris’s strong performance in Philadelphia, Trump’s victory in Erie County – often considered a reliable bellwether – exemplified broader trends across the state’s rural and suburban regions.
Landslide Territories
Some states saw overwhelming victories for one candidate…
- Wyoming: Trump won by 45.76% (71.60% vs 25.84%)
- West Virginia: Trump secured a 41.87% margin (69.98% vs 28.11%)
- North Dakota: Trump won by 36.49% (66.98% vs 30.49%)
- Vermont: Harris won by 31.51% (63.83% vs 32.32%)
- Maryland: Harris secured by 26.80% (61.77% vs 34.97%)
A Shifting Political Landscape
The election revealed dramatic changes in party support across the country. The most significant Democratic losses occurred in traditional blue strongholds – New York saw Democratic support plummet by 5.6 percentage points, New Jersey experienced a 5.5-point decline, Florida dropped by 4.9 points, and California saw a 4.7-point decrease. This widespread erosion of Democratic support across both coastal strongholds and swing states painted a clear picture of shifting political preferences.
The Republican gains told an equally compelling story, with the most dramatic surge occurring in New York and New Jersey, where Republican support grew by nearly 6 percentage points. Florida and California also demonstrated significant Republican growth, with increases of 4.8 and 4 points respectively. This pattern of Republican gains across diverse states – from traditional battlegrounds to Democratic strongholds – suggests a broader electoral realignment that crossed regional boundaries.
The Turnout Factor
Voter participation patterns proved crucial to the outcome. While most of the country saw decreased turnout, the industrial Midwest bucked this trend in fascinating ways.
However, the real story emerges when we compare these numbers to 2020.
The shifts in participation proved dramatic and potentially decisive. Alaska experienced the most striking decline, with turnout plunging by more than 11 percentage points. Other significant drops occurred in New Jersey (-8.3 points) and Illinois (-6.9 points). Even reliably Democratic California saw participation fall by 6.3 points.
Yet amid this national downturn, several crucial battleground states bucked the trend. Michigan saw a 1.4-point rise, Wisconsin’s turnout increased by 1.3 points to 76.4%, and Pennsylvania gained 1.25 points. Nevada also saw increased engagement, with turnout growing by 1.5 points. These seemingly small upticks in participation across these key states – virtually the only places to see consistent turnout growth – may have played a crucial role in determining the election’s outcome.
Looking ahead, this electoral map represents not just a victory for Trump but a significant realignment in American politics. CBS News reports that at 78, Trump will become the oldest president to assume office, with Republicans also gaining control of the Senate.
What geographical patterns from this election surprised you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below. We’ll be updating this post with more detailed maps and analysis in the coming days, so check back soon!